The Ash Connection II: The Rising
by I am Lu
Summary: Seven years have passed since the fall of Team Rocket. Lance, Cynthia, and Alder have left their Championship seats to a new generation of trainers who will face their first true test after Team Plasma terrorizes Iris on the day of her inauguration. Multiple pairings, including Pokeshipping, Contestshipping, and Ikarishipping, among others. Sequel to "The Ash Connection."
1. Prologue

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_'You... You really think I could do it?'_

_'Honestly? I think you could do anything.'_

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**Prologue**

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_**April 27th, 2009. Late Morning. Indigo Plateau**_

Ash Ketchum could faintly hear the stadium's roars of excitement from inside the waiting room. He could feel them, too. The fervor with which the audience cheered gave the building its own pulse, and the wall's vibrations ran through his gloved fingers when he brushed his hand against it.

The Indigo Stadium had received some minor renovations since Ash had last participated in its conference more than eleven years earlier. Tomorrow, April 28th, would mark the 12th year of his journey as well as his 22nd birthday—and things had changed since he was 10-years-old, entering his first league. For one, the date of the Indigo Conference had switched from November to April, since a string of incidents in December 2001 forced gyms to close several months into the new year, thereby causing a delay that became permanent. The waiting room was also different from what he remembered. Framed promotional posters from every year of the famous conference hung on the wall, and Ash paced around the room, looking at all of them.

"Everyone's gonna be watching," he finally said, looking toward the Pikachu perched on his shoulder. There was not a sign of apprehension in his voice; rather, he sounded determined, excited even. "We better not let them down."

"Pika." Pikachu smiled confidently, assuring his trainer they wouldn't.

"Mr. Ketchum." Ash's head snapped up when he heard his name called. "You have fifteen minutes."

Ash blinked. Once. Twice. Then, a lazy grin spread across his face.

"Right..." Ash adjusted his hat before slowly turning to face the woman behind him. "So, do they normally send Elite Four members to see off trainers in the final round?"

Misty's lips quirked into a strange smile. Still, she hesitated before answering, "No. They normally don't issue fifteen-minute warnings, either. Just ten and five. One of the actual event managers will be here for those. You don't mind, do you?"

"'Course not," Ash replied, chuckling. Misty was satisfied with his response, but she averted her gaze before she spoke again.

"You know," she began carefully, "I'm not supposed to show any favor for one competitor over the other, but I think you know who I'm rooting for."

"If I win, I'll get to face you." The mere idea boosted Ash's conviction, and he clenched his fists. "Man, I'm pumped. I'm gonna win it. I'm gonna make sure it happens. Just you wait for it, Misty. Our battle will be one for the books."

"Sheesh, focus on the battle you have now, not on one that may or may not happen," Misty half-teased as she rolled her eyes. Ash glowered at her.

"May or may not?" he protested. "Aw, come on Mist. I thought you had more faith in me than that."

Misty smiled again before she reached for one of his balled hands. His fingers unraveled at her touch, and she held them.

"No matter the outcome, we'll all be proud of you for making it this far," she said, giving him a gentle squeeze.

"I will win," he persisted.

"I'll hold you to that promise." Misty glanced behind her. "I have to go. Remember, I wasn't here."

"Don't worry," Ash said with a wink as she broke away. "All secrets stay safe with Ash Ketchum. That's a 100 percent guarantee!"

* * *

><p>"What will you do if he wins?" Lance asked the question carefully, though firmly.<p>

Leaf flicked her gaze toward him, her expression unchanged. The stadium hallway where they stood was dim, but a beam of sunlight from the battlefield's entrance fell across her face and lit a blue fire in her eyes. The lounge level was nearly empty, if only because most of the audience members were seated and excitedly waiting for the final round of the Indigo Conference to begin.

"The same thing I will do if the other guy wins," she answered shortly. "Why, are you worried? Because Ash is a friend? Either way, I will make sure the winner has a fair shake with the Elite Four and, if it comes to it, myself—unlike last time."

"Still upset about that?" Lance raised an eyebrow.

"I think it's my job to be."

"Well, I suppose we'll disagree there."

"And why's that?"

"I think there are much more important things for you to worry about than pageants, and that's what these conferences are," Lance answered bluntly. "I never liked hosting them."

"I know. I was your shadow for almost a decade, and you made explicitly clear how much you hated the league," Leaf said, letting out a short laugh. "Still, wouldn't it be nice if the Championship seat was a position of honor and not politics? Like it used to be?"

"Nothing can ever be like it used to be."

"Well, I suppose we'll disagree there," Leaf parroted, and an unusual, thin smirk spread across Lance's face. The conversation was left there, as they both turned their heads when they heard footsteps coming in their direction. Misty soon came into view.

"Where've you been?" Lance asked. "Not breaking the impartiality clause, I hope."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Misty said lightly. She didn't let his intimations phase her.

"Don't give her a hard time, Lance." Leaf then cast a sly, knowing look toward Misty. "That's for me to do now."

Lance grunted a semblance of a chuckle before saying, "Then I'll leave you two to yourselves. I'm returning to the Champion Box. Don't be too long. I expect the match will begin soon."

The two young woman watched Lance sweep out of sight. Once he was gone, Leaf cleared her throat to speak.

"I'm not actually going to chastise you," she said.

"That's all right, because I didn't actually see Ash."

"How is he?" Leaf was undeterred.

"Confident," Misty answered, though she still wondered if Leaf would jump on her indirect admission that she had spoken with Ash. Leaf was difficult to read, and she was capable of manipulating answers out of people if she wanted them—like how she had just done. Luckily, Leaf didn't seem to mind.

"I hope you're ready then," she said.

Misty looked at the Indigo Champion questioningly.

"For what?" she asked.

Leaf didn't hesitate when she answered, "For when he wins."

* * *

><p>"Careful there, professor," Tracey gently warned, pausing to help the aged Oak into his seat, between Delia and Daisy. Delia also reached out to assist, while Brock cast him a concerned look.<p>

"Are you sure you don't want us to call Gary, professor?" Brock asked carefully. "He said Leaf was more than willing to give you access to the Champion Box. The seating in there would be much more comfortable and less dangerous for a man of, er, your condition."

"Nonsense, nonsense," Professor Oak said, waving a dismissive hand. "These bones may be old, but they've got plenty of toughness in them. Besides, the Champion Box has an impartial policy, and that's no good. We've got to be showing our support for Ash, right Delia?"

Delia smiled crookedly.

"Right," she agreed, setting her hands back into her lap. Tracey returned to his seat beside his wife, Daisy. It wasn't long, however, before Delia began nervously twiddling her thumbs, keeping her head low. Brock quickly noticed.

"Nervous?" he inquired.

Delia lifted her eyes and turned her gaze toward him.

"I'm his mother," she said simply. "I want him to succeed."

Brock nodded understandingly, but said, "Well, you can be assured whatever happens, Ash will have put up his absolute best fight."

"Oh, I know," she said, smiling once more. "I would be disappointed if he didn't—and he never lets me down."

_**April 27th, 2009. Late Morning. Petalburg City.**_

"Max?" Ken, the now-grown Petalburg Gym assistant, poked his head into the living room, where the Maple family plus Drew—who was effectively a part of the Maple family anyway—were waiting for the television broadcast of the final round of the Indigo Conference to begin. "There's a trainer who wants to battle you for the Balance Badge."

Max frowned before adjusting his glasses. Even when the gym had a closed sign, hard-headed challengers still showed up on his family's doorstep.

"Tell them they'll have to wait," Max sighed. "I'll see them today, but it's going to be a couple hours. They can go grab lunch or do some extra training beforehand. Ash's match is about to begin any minute."

"Better yet," Caroline began with a smile, "invite them inside to watch with us! We have small sandwiches and juice."

Max and Norman exchanged furtive glances, each wearing sour expressions. Norman then looked to Ken and discreetly shook his head "no." Ken understood the message and nodded.

"Okay, I'll... make the offer," he told Caroline before disappearing once again.

May rolled her eyes but stifled a laugh. Drew cracked a rare smile and reached for her hand, silently reassuring her she didn't need to be embarrassed. She reciprocated his grip and smile, a signal that she already knew.

_**April 27th, 2009. Late Morning. Fortree City.**_

"So..." Winona drawled as she sat beside her husband. "What do you predict will be the outcome of this?"

Wallace blinked, the intensity of his expression softening. He loosened the tension in his upper frame, allowing her to lean against him. The anticipation for the match had caused his body to unconsciously turn rigid.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I may know Ash, but I don't know him as a trainer. I haven't had the pleasure of battling him, like you."

"That's not what I meant," Winona clarified. "The victor of the match isn't that important. What do you believe Leaf will do?"

"Ah." Wallace paused, thinking. "I'm not sure about that, either. Lance said she was very upset, angry even, after the Silver Conference last year. It will be interesting to see how she conducts herself after the match is decided, especially if Ash wins. They are close."

"Mm, well, she had reason to be miffed," Winona mused. "League politics are infuriating. I hope you won't have to deal with them much longer."

Wallace smiled weakly.

"I hope so, too."

_**April 27th, 2009. Late Morning. Snowpoint City.**_

"Come on Zoe-Zoe, put down the notebook," Candice sighed, shaking her head. She was sprawled out on two-thirds of her sofa, while Zoey occupied the final third. The television was turned to the Indigo Conference, but Zoey had been ignoring most of the pre-match coverage to work.

Zoey craned an eyebrow.

"This is all the planning for the class _you_ asked me to teach," she reminded.

"And you've got an entire summer to do it," Candice retorted. Zoey shrugged and continued writing. Candice glowered at her for a long moment before suddenly springing toward her, attempting to grab the notebook. Anticipating the move, Zoey held it out and away from her.

"Aw, did you really think that was going to work?" she teased as she pushed Candice off and fanned herself.

Candice momentarily pouted, but it wasn't long before a second idea struck her. She picked up one of her throw pillows and aimed it straight for Zoey's face. In the moment she was caught off guard, Candice snatched away the notebook.

"No, but that did," Candice said before she began laughing.

_**April 27th, 2009. Late Morning. Veilstone City.**_

"It seems Cedar has fallen asleep," Brandon said at a subdued volume as he held his 2-year-old granddaughter, who was resting her head on his shoulder. Maylene smiled as she reached out and relieved him of the sleeping child. She wore a loose shirt to tastefully conceal that she was a few months into her second pregnancy.

"Thank you," she said with a tired sigh before disappearing upstairs to put her into bed. Brandon turned to locate the remote and unmute the television set.

"You and Paul both have the magic touch," Reggie began, collapsing into a seat and massaging his temple. "Maylene and I can never put her down for a nap when it's just she and I. I don't know what we're going to do when the second one is here."

Brandon's lips twitched into a smile.

"You and your brother were fussy when you were little, too," he said. "That's something Cedar inherited from you. Parenthood is nature's way of payback."

Reggie let out a short laugh before replying, "Funny how that works out."

_**April 27th, 2009. Late Morning. Celestic Town.**_

"Emily, would you like strawberry or grape jam?" Cynthia asked kindly as she glanced up at her nearly 7-year-old daughter from behind the kitchen counter.

Emily laid flat on her belly on the rug in front of the television set, watching the Indigo Conference's pre-match coverage. She looked strikingly like her mother, with blonde hair and light-colored eyes. Steven was seated nearby, reviewing some of his geologic notes from one of his recent excursions as he, too, waited for the match to begin.

"Strawberry," Emily answered shortly. Her eyes never strayed from the screen.

"Strawberry, what?" Steven spoke up.

"Strawberry, please," Emily corrected herself.

Cynthia smiled as she pulled the chosen flavor outside of the fridge, unscrewed the cap, and began to spread a generous amount on a sandwich she was preparing for her daughter.

"One day," Emily began suddenly, breaking the brief lull in conversation, "I'm going to challenge the league and become Champion."

Although she had said it to neither of her parents in particular, both Cynthia and Steven halted what they were doing and exchanged troubled glances.

_**April 27th, 2009. Late Morning. Twinleaf Town.**_

"Ugggh," Barry moaned loudly as he flopped his upper body against the sofa. "How much time is left until it begins? I feel like we've been waiting forever, and the anticipation is killing me!"

"Er..." Kenny paused to flick his wrist over and look at his watch. "The match begins at 11 a.m. Indigo time, so just a few minutes still."

Barry glowered at Kenny before pulling his legs up into his chest and burying his face into the couch cushion. Barry had always been squirmy and unable to sit still for extended periods of time, but it had been especially bad recently. Now, if he did nothing for too long, the sadness would begin to settle back into his head.

"I'm gonna die," he mumbled into the fabric. "I swear, next time we meet up with Leaf, I'm gonna fine her for scheduling the match at such a ridiculous hour and making us wait this long. It'll be double if the match starts late."

Kenny let out a half-hearted chuckle before reaching out to pat his friend on the back.

"Hang in there, buddy," he said.

_**April 27th, 2009. Middle of the night. Lumiose City.**_

"Come on, Clemont!" Bonnie pleaded with her older brother, shaking his upper arm. "You've got to get the stream working! The match is going to begin any moment now, and we can't miss it!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Clemont breathed out. "Sorry, it's hard to think when it's this late."

Both Serena and Bonnie were hovering over Clemont's shoulder, watching as he went through several frustrating attempts to get the site streaming the Indigo Conference to load. Since there was a six-hour time difference between Kalos and the Indigo regions in Napaj, the Indigo and Silver conferences didn't air on Kalos television until several hours after the fact, but the three were determined to watch the battle live.

"Maybe the Wi-Fi just needs to be reset?" Serena suggested, pulling some of her loose hair behind her shoulder. She, along with her companions, were dressed down in their pajamas.

"Yeah!" Bonnie rallied with her. "Have you tried that, Clemont? Try it!"

"Er..." Clemont went to the task bar and pressed 'disconnect.' After waiting a few seconds, he tried reconnecting and pulled the stream back up. It wasn't long before the video feed suddenly began working, and the commentators' voices tuned in. The sounds were met with a collective cheer among the three Kalosian trainers, and Bonnie tightly hugged her brother.

"Serena, you're a genius," Clemont sighed, rolling his head back to smile at her.

_**April 27th, 2009. Late Morning. Indigo Plateau.**_

Several pairs of eyes turned to the door when it opened and in walked Leaf with Misty in tow. The Champion Box was quite nice, with cream carpet and twenty red, padded seats that had a view of the entire battlefield through glass. An open bar was also near the back, though no one was drinking at that hour.

Despite the capacity, there were only seven others in the room. Paul and Dawn both stood together at the front, her Piplup hanging off her shoulder. Gary was seated nearby. The three other Elite Four members of the Indigo regions—Karen, Will, and Lorelei—were sitting together in the second row. Lance had cut himself off from the others, standing behind the last row.

Misty chose to sit beside Gary rather than her fellow Elite Four members. Her relationship with them was civil, but they came from a Champion different from the one who had invited her to fill a vacancy nearly two years earlier. Leaf's rapport among them was similarly strained, because they were Lance's picks and not her own. They afforded her the respect the Championship seat commanded, but Leaf was not close with any of them, as she was with Misty.

Paul had once said it was important for new Champions to have an ally in their Elite Four. Misty knew he probably understood that better than anyone, since he had yet to gain the chance to fill a vacancy following Cynthia's leave. Leaf was lucky in that respect. Misty speculated Lance had asked Koga to retire so Leaf could become a part of the Elite Four for two years before becoming Champion. Her later ascension to the Championship seat meant an empty spot in the Elite Four, allowing Leaf to bring a friend into the fray with her.

Leaf moved toward the front, standing in the space between Gary and Paul.

"What time is it?" she asked, looking toward Gary.

"There is a clock on the wall," he dryly pointed out.

"I would rather inconvenience you than myself."

Gary scowled at her before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his PokéGear. Dawn stifled a chuckle before exchanging a pointed look with Paul.

"It's 10:54 a.m.," Gary finally answered. Leaf nodded before glancing out the window, down at the empty battlefield.

"So a few minutes still..." she trailed off.

Dawn inclined her head toward Leaf.

"Are Iris and Cilan coming?" she asked politely.

"I offered them access here, but they declined," Leaf replied.

"Why?" Paul spoke up, too. "It's not like they would be unwelcome. Iris's inauguration is in less than two weeks."

Leaf shrugged before saying, "Some would prefer to enjoy the battle without the restrictions of the impartiality policy. I'm sure the way they see it, they have two weeks left before they're bound by it. But we can't have people thinking the league is unfair, now can we?"

There was a hint of irony in her tone. Misty crossed one leg over the other, and the other Elite Four members appeared slightly uncomfortable, too. Dawn cast her gaze downward, while Paul stared at Leaf for a long time before flicking his eyes back toward the battlefield. Lance looked on warily as Gary tapped a finger against his jawline, his eyes moving around the room.

The situation, he knew, was an intriguing one.

* * *

><p>"So are you photographing today's match?" Ritchie directed the question toward Trip as they, plus Cilan and Iris, walked down the stadium hallway, heading toward their section of seats.<p>

"No." Trip raised an eyebrow. "If I was, I would (a) have my camera; (b) not be here right now. League photographers are in with the rest of the press photographers on the field."

Ritchie shrugged.

"Just a question," he said. "I thought maybe you would be getting aerial shots."

"Mm..." Trip intoned, now understanding the reasoning, but he still shook his head. "I don't get contacted to photograph league-sponsored events outside of Unova much. Every league division has their own photographers on staff. If anything, more people get sent to Unova, because I'm the only one."

"Yes, and I'll be putting you to good work once I'm your boss," Iris teased, tilting her head to look at him. Her arm was linked with Cilan's.

Trip couldn't help but smirk.

"Ten days coming," he said.

* * *

><p>The deafening screams drowned out the name of the opponent from Viridian City when he entered the stadium; the "Ash Ketchum" that followed shortly after was only discernible among the cheers because he was listening for it.<p>

He stayed in the shadow of the entrance to the stadium seating, lest he risk being seen by someone important. He knew well what the potential consequences of being noticed were, and he did not want to be trapped. Yet, this moment now meant too much, and it meant he was willing to tread one of his enemies' territories.

Even at a long distance, Kamon could see the determination in his brother's expression as he called out his first Pokémon.

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	2. I: In Which Trip Catches the Shot

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**Part I: The Impact**

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Chapter I: In Which Trip Catches The Shot

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_**May 6th, 2009. Early Morning. Slateport City.**_

Drew stood motionless among the moving crowd, his head tilted toward the skylight that lit the opulent lobby. Despite his many years of loyalty to the class—rather, the art—Drew had never set foot inside the Association of Pokémon Coordinators headquarters until then. He knew of other coordinators who had taken a tour through the building or vied for an internship, and while Drew had great interest in the back end of the contest world, he had stuck with performance to maintain relations with his competitors.

When he came to himself again, he lowered his gaze and blinked the dark spots out of his eyes before heading toward the elevator. He pressed the 'up' button and waited. When the metallic doors opened, another young woman stepped in with him.

"What floor?" she asked.

"Seven, please," Drew said politely, and she nodded. She then fell back against the bar, standing a respectable distance away from him.

When the doors opened at the fifth floor, the woman moved forward.

"Good luck with your meeting, Mr. Hayden," she said before disappearing. Drew was stunned, but the doors had closed again before he could call out to her. They had not said a word to each other beyond their brief dialogue in the elevator. They had not even exchanged names. How had she known? He figured she must have been an high-rank employee and that she must have connected his face to his name.

He didn't have much time to ponder on it, however, as the elevator finally reached the seventh floor. He stepped out and looked down the hallway, finding the receptionist. She glanced up as he approached.

"Hello, how may I help you?" she inquired politely.

"I have a meeting with Mr. Contesta," Drew said.

"Ah, right." Her eyes lit up with realization. "Andrew Hayden, correct?"

"Just Drew, please."

"Of course," she said kindly. She leaned over the desk and gestured to a line of chairs against the wall. "Please, make yourself comfortable. Mr. Contesta will be with you in a few minutes. He's very excited to meet with you."

Drew nodded, relieved to hear her say it. He sat down and folded his arms, waiting in a silence that was punctured by the clock hanging on the wall. After perhaps half a minute, he looked for something to occupy his attention, and he saw a stack of that day's issue of the Hoenn Daily newspaper. He picked a copy up, though his gaze narrowed when he saw one of the front-page stories:

**La Rousse Battle Tower Hosts Charity  
>Night For Cancer Research<strong>

LA ROUSSE, HOENN — The Battle Tower  
>held a charity night Tuesday to raise fu-<br>-nds for cancer research.  
>The owner and founder of the Battle To-<br>wer, Christopher Rogers, was diagnosed  
>with skin cancer in late 2005 but has<br>been in remission since 2006 after mult-  
>-iple treatments of chemotherapy. Rogers<br>said he wanted to hold the charity event  
>to support cancer research, because he<br>understands the struggles associated  
>with treatment and recovery.<br>"It was a difficult time in my life," Rogers  
>said. "It would be wrong of me not to<br>help the cause for the cure."

See **BATTLE TOWER**, Page A4

Drew was unable to turn the page and read on, because a nearby door swung open and out came Raoul Contesta.

"Andrew Hayden, what a pleasure to finally meet you outside the contest hall," he said heartily, going to shake Drew's hand. Drew hastily stood up and fumbled with the newspaper, unsure of what to do with it. He finally stuck it under his arm.

"T-The pleasure is all mine, sir," Drew said, grasping Mr. Contesta's hand. He was too flustered to correct him on his name.

Raoul smiled warmly and gestured toward his office, saying, "Come, let's talk."

He gently prodded Drew forward into the small room, shutting the door behind them. Raoul then moved around Drew, returning to his desk. He sat down and invited Drew to do the same.

"So, I see you have a copy of the Hoenn Daily," Raoul unexpectedly began.

"Ah..." Drew retrieved the paper and laid it on his lap. "Yes." He mentally chastised himself, knowing how nervous he was acting. It wasn't every day a coordinator was invited to meet with Mr. Contesta, though. He had been in Drew's audience for years, but they had never spoken alone.

"I was reading it myself earlier," Raoul continued. "It must have been a slow news day. The cover story is a little dull. I will admit that Chris Rogers is an interesting person, though."

"Is that so?" Drew's voice didn't break. Raoul nodded.

"He was set to sponsor one of the Grand Festivals several years ago, but the deal fell through," Raoul continued. "Several months later, Lance Grayson came to me and asked about the sponsorship. After I gave him Chris's name, he was arrested. The charges were eventually dropped, of course."

"Really?" Drew feigned surprise. "I had no idea."

Raoul's lips twitched into a strangely doleful smile.

"I do regret it, in a way," he said. "I don't like burning bridges, and I doubt Rogers will ever work with us again because of what happened."

"If you ask me, sir, he sounds flaky," Drew said lightly. Raoul began laughing, which helped put Drew at greater ease—enough to interject a question.

"I'm sorry if I sound too forward," he began tentatively, "but what is the reason you wanted to see me today?"

Raoul muted his laughter and took a moment to gather himself.

"Forgive me," he said. "Of course you must be wondering why I bring this up. You see, I told this story to demonstrate something very important to me and to the APC—and that's our relationship with the Napajian Pokémon League."

Drew inclined his head, confused but intrigued.

"Although I am saddened by the soured relations between us and Rogers, I would not have chosen to act any differently when Lance approached me," he continued. "The association and league have been partners for a very, very long time, practically since coordinating's conception as a class of trainers. They have helped us expand contests beyond Hoenn's borders, to Kanto, to Johto, and to Sinnoh. We hope they will continue to assist us as we further expand into other regions and, potentially, other nations."

"Other regions?" Drew inquired.

"The other _region_," Raoul corrected himself. He paused before adding, "Alder Ray is a good man. I've met him multiple times over the years, and he's proved to be a very likable person. Yet, he steers a rather—hm, how should I word this?—_disorganized_ ship. I've tried for years to get contests in Unova off the ground, and it's never happened. That Iris Ajagara, though... She shows a lot of potential." He paused again, studying Drew's expression. "Now you're smiling. Why's that?"

"Ah... nothing," Drew coughed. "I agree. Iris is... great. She's great. She and her husband are good friends of mine. My girlfriend has been in Unova since Monday, and I'm flying out there later this morning, too, so we can see her inauguration." He lifted his gaze toward Raoul. "I see now. You're looking to start the movement for contests in Unova back up, and you wanted to speak with me because you know Iris and I are friends. Well, I can't speak _for_ Iris, but I think she'd be open to the idea if you approached her on it."

"Good," Raoul chortled. "You're a little off the mark, though. I won't be starting the movement for contests in Unova."

"No?"

"No," Raoul repeated. "The reason I invited you... I want you to facilitate its implementation."

Drew stared. He opened his mouth once, then closed it. He wasn't sure if he had heard that right.

"Excuse me?" Drew finally found words.

"I would like for you spearhead a renewed movement for contests in Unova," Raoul clarified.

Drew's expression didn't change.

"Sir... I don't mean to sound rude, but what makes you think I have the qualifications to run something like that?" he asked. The proposition was unreal. It was so fanciful that it couldn't sink into his head and produce the reaction Mr. Contesta probably expected.

"Don't you have a degree in political science from the digital institute?" Raoul asked.

"From DIL?" Drew asked, meaning the Pokémon Trainer Digital Institute of Learning. "The... The semester only just ended. I haven't even received my certificate in the mail. In fact, I hadn't intended to do much, if anything, with the degree, except maybe use it on my résumé to get an internship here, eventually."

"Consider this your internship then," Raoul humored.

"I have no experience."

"I've never met someone who tried to talk me out of giving them a job."

Drew still appeared unconvinced; yet, Raoul remained undeterred.

"Andrew," he continued. "It's not just experience. It's connections, and you have them—not just with Iris, but with the other Champions, and with dozens of other coordinators. I could put someone with 20 years experience at the head, and they wouldn't get nearly as far as you."

"I still don't understand. This seems like a big risk on your end," Drew pointed out. "You might know I'm well-connected, but you don't know the kind of person I am or the kind of worker I am."

"You were recommended to me," Raoul stated simply.

"By who?"

"Never mind that," Raoul politely dismissed the inquiry. "Even so, this conversation has already told me a lot about who you are a person. And years of watching you perform has shown me that you work _very_ hard. I can in full faith and confidence know you would succeed in establishing contests in Unova—with help, of course."

Drew lowered his head, gazing at Raoul warily. Raoul knew, however, this was still his hesitation manifested.

Finally, Drew cut through his own doubt to ask, "So... what does this entail?"

Raoul smiled, glad Drew had finally opened himself up enough to entertain the idea.

"Well, as a newly studied political scientist, I'm sure you're aware that things work differently here in Napaj than they do in other places in the world," he said. "Democratic elections only exist on a local level. There are currently no formal systems in place for changes to be made at a regional or even a national level. This makes your job difficult—more difficult than it was when contests were established in the other regions, because it was different back then."

Drew had heard similar speeches before, about how things were once different. He didn't know it personally, because the 'difference' existed long before he was born. It wasn't until he got mixed up in the G-Men's business several years ago that his perspective was challenged, and now, being close with multiple Champions meant he was surprisingly familiar with some of its shortcomings.

"Right," he said, clicking his tongue. He was starting to understand why Raoul considered him a candidate to undertake this venture. He was treading new territory, and for that reason, it didn't matter whether he had experience or not. No one did.

"The APC can offer you some financial assistance to pay you and other employees and to get started, but the movement will need to generate money on its own to sustain itself and be successful," Raoul continued. "That's the tricky part. If it's true that you're confident in Iris as a supporter, then she might budget to help the movement financially, too, but even that likely won't be enough to cover the costs needed to build contest halls and staff them."

"And Iris isn't going to push a tax, because she's new and it would set a bad tone for her time as Champion," Drew picked up the conversation, both surprising and pleasing Raoul. "The way the G-Men and league are tied together, Champions don't want to do anything too extreme because then it causes organizations like Team Rocket to try to overthrow them. That's why it's different—and that's why it's harder now for new ideas or organizations to take root."

"Ah, so you _do_ understand," Raoul said.

Drew nodded before adding, "So, what's necessary is to propagate enough interest in contests not only so Unovans will actually participate in them but be willing to donate to the cause."

"Precisely."

"So how much is needed, exactly?" Drew asked.

"I thought you might ask that," Raoul began as he lifted a folder off his desk and handed it to Drew. "For twelve contest halls and one Grand Festival arena... well, see for yourself."

Drew craned an eyebrow as he accepted the folder and opened it. He skimmed the financial receipt before letting out a long breath.

"For _only_ twelve?" he asked.

"That's what our financial department estimates," Raoul answered. "Twelve is very small compared to our other regional branches, but it's sufficient, and it leaves room for growth."

"There's no way crowdfunding would even get _close_ to reaching this amount," Drew protested.

"I did say it was no easy task," Raoul reminded. "You'll have to get creative. Remember, the APC will help, as will the league."

"Even if the APC and the league covered 50 percent of the costs..." Drew shook his head. "Maybe we cut the number of contest halls in half and try to see if we can work out a deal with the Don George Battle Club, where they let contests take place in their facilities and receive a portion of the profit..."

"Now _that's_ thinking creatively!" Raoul glowed. "It seems you do know exactly what to do. You just needed a bit more confidence in yourself."

Drew blinked, realizing he had been speaking as though he'd accepted the position when he still wasn't entirely sold on the idea. ... Or was he? He closed the folder again and set it on his lap. He drummed his fingers against the surface, as Raoul watched him expectantly.

"I'll do this on one condition," Drew blurted suddenly, before he could think it through.

"That is?"

"I want to hire my own staff," Drew said. "I'll take a look at any and all recommendations you have, but I want to choose who I work with."

Drew expected him to reject the condition or try to compromise. In fact, maybe he had hoped Raoul would, because that would have made backing out easier. Yet, Raoul simply replied, "Done," and Drew was locked in.

"I'll compile a contact list of employees and former interns for you," Raoul continued, "and I'll have it emailed to you by the time you're in Unova tonight. Is the one the APC has on file current?"

"Ah... yes, it should be." Drew then quickly asked, "Sorry, you want me to begin right away?"

"Of course," Raoul said, nodding. "There is no better time to get this started than now, when Unova is already in transition. Iris will be fresh. Even if she is your friend, if you wait too long, she'll fall into a safe routine and will be less willing to break it."

"Then... I guess I have some extra packing to do before I head to Unova."

"Indeed." Raoul beamed as he rose to his feet. Drew followed suit. "I'll keep close contact."

Raoul led Drew back to the door and opened it for him. Drew turned back toward Raoul.

"Thank you, sir, for this opportunity," he said. His voice wavered with apprehension, but he was sincere.

"No, thank you for accepting," Raoul corrected, shaking Drew's hand once again. He paused, his eyes scanning Drew. "You know, now that I've had a good look at you up close, I realize you actually look strikingly similar to Chris Rogers. You're from La Rousse, too, aren't you? Any relation?"

Drew smiled.

"No. None." He then mentally added, 'Not anymore.'

_**May 6th, 2009. Early Morning. Pallet Town.**_

"Greninja, quick, use Water Shuriken!"

"Sudowoodo, dodge it!"

Greninja's speed far outmatched Sudowoodo's stiff movements, however, and Sudowoodo was knocked down by the precise aim of Greninja's attacks. One of the three disks of water hit Sudowoodo square in the chest, pushing him back, and the remaining two struck low and caused the Rock-type to fall on its back. Brock's eyebrows shot up, alarmed.

"Sudowoodo!" he called out in concern. Sudowoodo attempted to rise, but his limbs gave out, and he fell down once more, defeated.

"Sudowoodo is unable to battle," Ritchie declared after a brief delay, "so the battle goes to Ash and his Greninja!"

Ash and his Pikachu let out a cheer, and Greninja croaked happily as well. Brock heaved a sigh but smiled. He approached his Sudowoodo, pulling out his Pokéball.

"Thank you. You were great," Brock said, helping Sudowoodo to sit up before returning him. He then looked toward Ash, who had followed Brock's suit and returned his Pokémon. Ash extended his arm to Pikachu, letting him climb up it and settle on his shoulder.

"That was fantastic Ash," Brock commended, rising to his feet to meet his old friend. "You swept my team. I have no doubt you're ready to face the Elite Four."

"Thanks Brock," Ash replied, grinning, but he soon faltered. "But, to tell the truth, I think I still have some things to work on..."

Brock furrowed his eyebrows, and Ritchie asked, "Have you decided the order you want challenge them, yet?", as he approached.

"I think I've got it, but I'm not sure," Ash admitted. "Leaf gave me until Friday, but I think I'm gonna stick to my gut and tell her tonight when we see her at Iris's thing. It'll be a relief when this whole thing's over."

"Why? Nervous?" Brock asked.

"A little bit, but it's more that it's kind of weird between me and Misty and Leaf right now," Ash explained. "I hope it goes back to normal, win or lose. Probably should've stuck to competing outside Kanto and Johto..."

"Things are just tense right now up there in the Kanto Elite, that's all." The trio turned their heads when they heard Gary approaching. He had been watching the battle from the sidelines. "I can personally testify to that. It's delicate situation for all parties involved. Leaf's scrambling to make sure she doesn't waste her opportunity."

"'Waste her opportunity?'" Brock parroted inquisitively, to which Gary shrugged.

"League politics," he said vaguely. He then changed the subject. "Anyway, we've really got to get going if we want to make our flight. It'd be a shame if Brock came all the way from Pewter City to take us to the airport, only for us to miss our flight."

"Ah! Right," Ash agreed. "Okay, my suitcase is inside, so I'll just grab it."

Ash hurried off with Pikachu, and Brock soon followed them, mumbling something about needing to get his car keys off the table. Ash had bought a small bungalow in Pallet Town a couple years earlier, using the money he'd accumulated over the years from news stations and other talk shows paying him—and the other members of the famed fourteen—for agreeing to sit down for interviews. He only lived in it several months out of the year, however. Delia rented it out while Ash was traveling and sent the payments to him, so he could sustain himself on the road.

"Hey, looks like you're getting good at this refereeing business," Gary struck up a conversation with Ritchie in Ash and Brock's absence. Ritchie smiled at him weakly.

"There's a lot less pressure when it's a casual battle versus an official one," he said. "I think I'd get a lot more nervous if there were higher stakes involved."

"I'm sure that'll go away as you do it more," Gary said dismissively. "Just trust in your abilities, and you can't go wrong."

Ritchie craned an eyebrow.

"Sure be nice if I had as much confidence as you do," he chuckled. "You mean to say you're not the least bit nervous about defending your thesis on Friday?"

"More stressed than anything," Gary corrected. "The main reason I didn't head out to Unova earlier with Leaf and Misty was to spend more time touching up the presentation. Realistically, I'm just not going to work on it out there, so I wanted it done and ready to go before I left, so I'm not panicking Friday morning when I fly back."

"Makes sense."

Ash soon bounded out of his home with Brock in tow. Brock called for Gary and Ritchie to join them as he unlocked his car, getting ready for the drive.

_**May 6th, 2009. Afternoon. Opelucid City.**_

Drew glanced up when he heard the flight attendant's voice chime in on the PA, informing the passengers that they had safely arrived in Opelucid City, "Time's Dividing Line." He dismissed it, however, as he returned to the notebook on his lap, many of the pages of which he had filled with notes and ideas only understandable to him during the six-hour flight.

He waited several minutes for the other passengers to clear out before standing up, stretching, and retrieving his carry-on. He zipped it open and carefully laid his notebook and the folder Contesta had given him. He then fished his PokéCell out of his back pocket and turned it back on. His lips curled into a smile. Solidad had left him a voicemail.

He didn't bother to listen to it. He pressed send, calling her back. She picked up almost immediately.

"_Drew, please explain_," she said without greeting.

"So I'm guessing you didn't put Contesta up to it?"

"_No, I didn't put Contesta up to anything. In fact, I'd like to know what's going on. All you did was send me a text message asking if I had recommended you to Contesta for starting contests in Unova, and then you boarded a plane, so I couldn't hear more about it. Contesta wants to establish a branch for coordinating in Unova?_"

"Well, more specifically, he wants me to do it."

"_Drew, that's... that's incredible._"

"I know. It's a little surreal, to be honest." Drew lined up behind the final few people leaving the plane. "That's why I asked if you had anything to do with it."

"_Why would I?_"

"You have a history of doing things and talking to people behind my back. All for my benefit, but still."

Solidad let out an uncharacteristically nervous chuckle before saying, "_Well, no. I don't have those kind of connections, and I certainly don't have that kind of influence over Contesta. Did he say you were recommended to him?_"

"Yes. But he didn't tell me who," Drew answered. "I guess it's not that important anymore. As long as I don't let him down, that is."

"_You agreed to do it? Have you told May?_"

"Not yet," Drew admitted. "I'm getting off the plane now, and she's picking me up. I'm saving the news for later tonight, though, when I meet up with Zoey and the others. Contesta's letting me hire my own staff."

"_This is like a dream come true for you, isn't it?_"

"I told you it was surreal."

"_You'll do great._"

"I hope so."

"_You will,_" she insisted.

"Well, I am feeling better about it now that I've had some time to get my raw ideas out on paper," Drew conceded. "I'm starting right away, so I'm probably not going to be back in Hoenn for a while."

"_If there's any help you need, please don't hesitate to call me._"

"Oh, trust me, I'm sure we'll be in contact again soon." Drew stepped out the tunnel and into the terminal. "I already have things in mind for you."

"_I look forward to it._" Drew could hear the smile in her voice. "_Love you. Have a wonderful time in Unova._"

"Love you, too." The words came naturally, and there was no pause to ponder their significance. "I'll talk to you later."

He hung up and, adjusting his bag, continued onward through the terminal. The last time he was in Opelucid was seven years earlier, and his plane had landed under unconventional conditions. Still, he managed to navigate the airport fairly well, and he soon found the escalators leading downstairs. He was surprised—and delighted—to see that May was already waiting for him at the bottom, her face glowing. He had expected to meet her outside.

Drew quickened his pace to meet her once he was on the ground, and he pulled her into an unexpected kiss, dipping her ever so slightly as he did. A couple of women passing by giggled to one another, presuming the couple had been apart far longer than what was actually the case. May appeared dazed when Drew stepped back.

"It's only been two days," she said after coming to herself again. A move as passionate as that one was uncommon for Drew in a public space.

"I know," he said. "I'm just in a good mood."

Her face lit up with remembrance.

"Oh! That's right!" she exclaimed. "How did your meeting with Mr. Contesta go?"

"Good."

"Just good?"

"Really good."

"_Drew_," she whined, and he smirked.

"I'll tell you later," he said, brushing her plea off. "For now, we need to go to baggage claims."

He started walking without her, and May looked at him with surprise before hurrying to catch up.

"Hold up," she interjected. "Baggage claims? You checked bags?"

"Multiple, actually," Drew answered shortly.

"You told _me_ fit all my things into a carry-on," May protested. "How come _you_ get to check bags?"

"Don't get mad. Some of it's for you."

Confusion overtook May's expression, and she asked, "W-What? For me?"

"Yes, for you."

"Why?"

He stopped and turned to look at her once more, an oddly mischievous glint in his eye. "I think we're going to be here a little longer than either of us originally anticipated," he answered before moving on, leaving May not only more confused but also alarmed.

"Longer than either of us... ? Hey, wait up! What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, running after him.

* * *

><p>"Ugh! I have no patience for lateness," Barry grumbled, tapping his foot. "If family wasn't involved, I would be giving out a fine."<p>

Barry sat between Kenny and Ritchie, who both exchanged exasperated smiles upon their friend's comment. Ash let out a short laugh, and Zoey rolled her eyes. The six, which included Misty, were waiting by a fountain a short distance away from the Opelucid City Gym. In fact, if Misty's memory served her right, it was the same square where they had battled the legendary Moltres seven years earlier. The fountain had been fixed since then. Nobody else seemed to remember the location's significance, and if they did, they weren't saying anything about it.

"You know, has anyone ever actually paid any of your fines?" Zoey asked.

"Paul once gave me $5 and told me to shut up."

"So why haven't you?" Zoey teased.

"Hey!" Barry leapt up. "Now I'm gonna have to fine you for that one!"

Before Zoey could respond, a call of "Yoo-hoo~" rang out, grabbing the group's attention. They turned their heads to see that Bianca was running toward them. Ash scrambled to stand, quickly moving away from the fountain and toward Misty, as though she were a type of shield. She gave him an odd look but shrugged it off. Pikachu also jumped off the fountain's edge and joined his trainer at his feet.

"Bianca!" Barry was thrilled as his cousin attacked him with a hug. There was a moment where he might have fallen back into the fountain, but he held his ground. "It's so good to see you again!"

Stephan and Luke followed closely behind. Burgundy hung back, sulking. They stayed behind Bianca, behind the dividing line between the two groups. Neither side knew each other very well, save a few exceptions. Their acquaintance existed via unusual means.

"Right? It's been forever! You hardly ever come out to Unova," Bianca pouted.

"Well, I'm here now!" Barry proudly declared.

"Yeah..." Bianca broke away from Barry and turned to smile at the others. "So! I suppose if you're all ready, we should get moving, right?"

"Actually," Ritchie politely interjected, "we're still waiting on-"

"-Us?" Drew finished wryly as he sauntered up to the group with May trailing behind him.

"Oh ho, look who it is!" Kenny chortled. "May said the reason you were flying out so late was because you had a meeting with Mr. Contesta. So, what did the big man have to say?"

"He won't tell me," May piped up. "It's apparently a _secret_."

"It's not a secret, May," Drew corrected, shaking his head. "I just don't want to explain it more times than I have to, so I'm waiting until we're with everyone. You'll all know what happened by the end of the night, I promise."

"Practical to a fault, as always," Zoey commented dryly.

"Like you can't say the same about yourself?" Drew threw back.

"Touché."

It was around this time May realized Misty was standing among them, and she brightened considerably with this revelation.

"Oh! Misty, it's a surprise to see you here," she said cheerfully. "I thought you would've been in the gym with Iris and the others."

Misty appeared briefly surprised her presence had been acknowledged, but she explained, "It was either/or. I could have stayed with Leaf and been on stage for the inauguration, but I would have felt out of place. I would have been the only Elite Four member from outside Unova present. Besides, Leaf has Gary and Lance to keep her company, not to mention Paul and Dawn and whole lot of other people who actually should be there."

"I see..." May trailed off.

Figuring he was now safe from being drenched in any fountain accidents, Ash carefully emerged from behind Misty, and Stephan grinned.

"Well, no sense in talkin' 'bout secrets, so how about we talk about the fact that we may very well have the next Indigo Champion standing right here in front of us?" he said heartily. "Iris Ajagara today, Ash Ketchum tomorrow."

"Heh, so you watched that match?" Ash asked sheepishly.

"Of course we did!" Luke jumped into the conversation. "It was an amazing battle! I can't wait to see you take on the Elite Four." He paused before setting his sight on Misty. "So, I guess that means he might be battling you at some point, huh?"

Misty smiled weakly, answering, "Yeah..."

Ash cast her a concerned look. This was exactly what he had meant earlier that morning when he said things between him and Misty were weird. She had seemed excited at the prospect of battling him prior to the league match, but afterward, she, along with Leaf, had grown a little more distant. Gary was insistent it would pass, and Ash wanted to believe him. Being Leaf's boyfriend, Gary knew a lot more about the inner dynamic of the Indigo Elite than most.

Ash decided to refocus the subject: "So, Luke," he began, "how's work at PokéStar Studios? And Stephan, what about you and the Don George Battle Club?"

Drew perked up at the mention of the club. May noticed, and she ducked her head, watching him shyly. Her anticipation for whatever he had to say that evening was growing.

"Oh, it's good," Luke answered. "I'm writing the script for another film now, this one about a Beeheyem who changes the memories of a trainer's friends, so they don't remember him anymore. It's supposed to speak to the impact one person can have on many."

"As for me," Stephan added, "I've been havin' a blast. Don George—er, at least the one I work with—is a really good guy, and I've learned a lot from him."

"That's awesome," Ash commended, glad his old Unovan friends were getting along well. He then tilted his head to look behind Stephan and Luke, at Burgundy. "Hey, Burgundy," he called out to her. "What've you been up to lately?"

She mumbled a few words in response, and the only thing Ash could make out was something about teaching and the PCA, or the Pokémon Connoisseur Association.

"Don't mind her," Stephan dismissed. "She's just moody 'cause Georgia isn't here."

"Oh, uh... Okay..." Ash nodded, trying to understand.

Burgundy suddenly cleared her throat and spoke again, this time more clearly: "Well, now that your posse has arrived, I suggest we move _rapidement_ if we want a decent view."

"Right!" Ash turned on his heel. "Okay, so I'm pretty sure the Opelucid City Gym is this way..."

"How about you let _me_ lead the way since you have a history of being directionally challenged?" Misty stepped up, wearing a smirk. Ash was so pleasantly surprised by her tease that he didn't have it in him to protest. Instead, he grinned and moved his arm out in mock courtesy.

"After you, then," he said. Pikachu snickered before jumping onto Ash's shoulder.

Not long after the group set off, Drew caught up to Ash and asked in a low voice, "Hey, what's the name of the guy who works at the Don George Battle Club?"

"Hm?" Ash blinked. "Oh, that's... Stephen? Stephan? Stephan Dunstan. We're old friends and rivals. Maybe you don't remember, but he's one of the people who helped us out way back when. Why are you asking?"

Drew fell back.

"No reason," he said.

* * *

><p>"<em>We are now just an hour away from the inauguration of Iris Ajagara, and the excitement is building out here in front of the Opelucid City Gym.<em> _Alder Ray has been a beloved leader of Unova for years, and many are curious to see a new face in the Unova Elite, and that's why they've been gathering here since early this morning, waiting in this beautiful weather. There couldn't have possibly been a better day for an event like this, and Iris can only hope the good weather portends a good tenure._"

Dozens of gazes focused on the bright-eyed reporter on the screen. Most of the Unova Elite—from the gym leaders to the Elite Four members themselves—were gathered in the lobby of the Opelucid City Gym, watching the inauguration's pre-coverage on the Unovan Broadcast News station. The Champions, current and former, were also present, with the exception of Iris, Alder, and Paul. They were elsewhere in the building.

"_Thank you for the update, Julia_." The cameraview changed so the screen was split between the female reporter outside the gym and a well-dressed man with slick hair and a pearly smile back in the studio. It then shifted entirely to the man when he spoke again: "_Is Unova ready for a new Champion? After more than four decades with Alder Ray in the Unova Championship seat, some critics believe Iris has a tough road ahead winning over the Unovan people. Others remain optimistic she will bring the fresh ideas the Unova region needs. For thoughts, we turn to our commentators, Eileen Anderson and Peter Powell. Eileen, you can go first._"

"_Thank you, Edmund_," Eileen said. "_Well I, for one, am one of the optimistic people. I think Iris Ajagara is exactly what Unova needs now. She's young, she's beautiful, she's independent—she kept her maiden name when she married former Striaton City Gym Leader Cilan Griffith—and she will be the first woman of color in the Championship seat in Napaj. On paper, she's different from Alder in every possible way, and we will probably see that reflected in her leadership positively, and once the Unovan people see that, they will accept her with open arms_."

"_Eileen_," Peter cut in with a touch of condescension, "_you can't deny, though, that Iris has her work cut out for her. You mentioned a lot of unique qualities about Iris that might make her good for Unova, but you failed to bring up the unique—rather, the questionable—circumstances surrounding her nomination. The traditional standard for crowning new Champions is winning the league and then defeating the Elite Four and Champion, but we've seen in the past ten years or so that it's become more common for Champions to be handpicked from the existing Elite Four or crowned after a less-official battle, most recently with Leaf Greene and Paul Rebolledo. However, we've __**never**__ seen a new Champion be plucked out of the region's gym leaders, and this is causing people to question not only Alder's choice but Iris's qualifications._"

"Alder has doomed her to fail," Lance said under his breath, only loud enough for those sitting near him to hear. Steven's eyes flicked over toward Lance, while Cynthia drew in a silent, sharp breath. Emily looked curiously at her mother, sensing she was agitated. Gary cast Leaf a quick glance, but she remained stone-faced. Wallace and Winona exchanged uneasy glances.

"You don't know that," Cynthia said calmly, though firmly.

"She has the deck stacked against her," Lance reminded.

"I suppose I, too, am on of the optimistic ones, then." Cynthia rose to her feet, deciding to remove herself from the situation before she grew too upset. Emily appeared alarmed when her mother began to leave.

"Mom?" she inquired before scrambling to follow her. Steven watched them carefully but didn't move. It would have done little good for the Stone family to make a scene. Although he and Lance were on far better terms, some contention still lingered between his wife and the former Indigo Champion, even after they had left their seats.

Cynthia found an appropriate diversion as Paul re-entered the room with Dawn at his side. She approached the couple.

"How goes it with security?" she asked.

"Fine," Paul answered shortly. He then added, "I hope it's enough. Iris was resistant to the idea of bringing a Sinnoan G-Men unit here, but Leaf talked her into it."

"I'm sure that's just a product of her finding her footing," Cynthia replied. "Alder has refused to establish a G-Men branch in Unova for so long, even after the incident with Team Rocket, that Iris doesn't want to disrespect his legacy." Cynthia paused and looked down at her daughter, who was clinging to her leg and half-hiding behind her. "Emily, don't be shy. You've met Paul and Dawn before."

Dawn smiled warmly and bent down to meet the child at her level.

"Hello, Emily," she greeted.

Emily's lips still quivered into a smile as she waved. She then looked up at Paul, who towered over her. His expression was blank, unsure of how he should react. Emily promptly hid her face into her mother's dress. Cynthia shook her head, placing her hand on her daughter's back.

"I'm sure we'll catch up later," she said amicably before leading her child away with her. Dawn placed her hand on the ground and pushed herself up, standing once again.

"I guess she still hasn't warmed up to you, huh..." she said.

Paul shrugged in response.

"You're better with children than I am," he said, moving forward.

"Cedar likes you," Dawn reminded, following him.

"Cedar is an exception."

Dawn smiled tiredly and reached for his hand. Yet, when she gained a tenuous grasp on his fingers, he hesitated before balling his hand and pulling away.

"Not here," he said simply.

Dawn pressed her lips into a hard line, but nodded.

"Right..."

* * *

><p>"You look beautiful, Ms. Ajagara," Elesa said as she stepped back, holding a pen of liquid eyeliner delicately between her thumb and index finger.<p>

Iris shyly stole a glance into the mirror to see Elesa's completed work. Iris rarely went through extensive effort with her own make-up, and her hair was styled half up, which was typical for her, though it looked quite different when done by a model and not by her own hands. It caused a disconnection between the way she looked and the way she felt—meaning, she looked a lot better than she felt.

"Thank you, Elesa," Iris said, standing up. "Really."

Elesa nodded and smiled before saying, "Good luck," and leaving to join the other elite trainers in the next room. Iris smoothed over a wrinkle in her dress, which extended just past her calves, and readjusted the rounded neckline, trying to make herself comfortable.

"Well, Iris, look at you!" Iris's head snapped up when she heard the familiar jubilance that was Alder. He and Drayden were approaching. "You look fantastic—better than I've looked any day in my life, that's for sure."

She couldn't help but smile and thank him, too. She then cast a wary look toward Drayden.

"How much time is left?" she asked.

"Your presence is expected soon," Drayden answered shortly. "How are you doing?"

"Me? Oh, I'm—I'm doing great!" Iris forced a grin. "I've never felt better. I feel like I could take on the world. Eat a whole Wailord. Er... I mean..." She stumbled, realizing that was not the right idiom.

Alder exchanged an amused glance with Drayden. Even the normally stoic Drayden appeared somewhat humored by her behavior.

"You're confident?" Drayden offered.

"Confident? Oh yes!" Iris nodded quickly. "My name and picture are next to confidence in the dictionary."

Alder laughed aloud and said, "Well, good to know!" He deadpanned before adding, "Iris... I know I'm leaving Unova in good hands. I hope you know that, too. But you should also know that I will always be here as your adviser and mentor, as will Drayden. At least, until they put me six feet under."

Iris let out a strained chuckle at the morbid humor.

"I do know that," she said. She stopped and tilted her head slightly, looking at something—or someone—beyond Drayden and Alder. The two men glanced behind them to see that Cilan was standing nearby, leaning against the wall. Alder cocked a suggestive eyebrow and grinned goofily at Drayden, who sighed and shook his head in response.

"We'll wait for you," Drayden told Iris, regaining her attention. "Please do not be long. The ceremony begins soon."

Iris nodded as the two men turned to leave. Cilan waited until he and Iris were alone before he spoke.

"A dictionary, hm?" he teased lightly, approaching her in playful stride.

Iris smiled crookedly before admitting, "I threw up this morning."

Cilan emitted a noise somewhere between a laugh and a distressed sigh.

"It's okay to be nervous," he assured her. "Maybe not to the point that you make yourself sick, but no one expects you to be a fiery ball of confidence all the time. You would be too much like Ash if that were the case, and then I would worry about you a lot more than I already do."

Iris craned an eyebrow and shifted her weight to her left hip.

"You don't have any reason to be worried," she challenged.

Cilan turned his head slightly when he noticed the door crack open. One of Paul's G-Men agents slid inside, a signal that they needed to get moving. Cilan then slowly moved his gaze back toward Iris.

"Not today, I don't." He grasped her hand and lifted it to kiss her fingers. His lips touched the cool surface of her wedding ring, the symbol that bound them together.

* * *

><p>"Turn that trash off." Drayden's voice boomed when he entered the room with the other gym leaders, Elite Four members, and Champions. "Iris is going to be here in a few minutes, and we don't need that poison seeping into her head right before her inauguration."<p>

Skyla scrambled to retrieve the remote and turn off the television. Georgia watched as the former Opelucid City Gym Leader and soon-to-be former Unova Champion passed by. She unfolded her arms and let out an irritated sigh before moving further into the crowd of elite trainers.

Drayden and Alder soon met with the other Champions, former included.

"How is she?" Leaf asked.

"She claims to be confident, but she's terrified," Drayden answered.

"I suppose nothing less should be expected," Wallace humored.

"_Where_ is she?" Lance asked.

"We left her to have a private moment with Cilan," Alder replied. "A Champion's significant other is their greatest confidant and influence. Unity between them is vital."

"As it should be," Wallace said, smiling. Winona rolled her eyes but smiled, too, when she felt his eyes fall upon her. Gary waggled his eyebrows at Leaf, and she mouthed the words "Don't let that go to your head" in response. Dawn cast a curious glance toward Paul, but his head didn't turn.

Cynthia watched Alder carefully, however, feeling her heart sink. Perhaps the others hadn't noticed, but there was a tick of longing in his voice. Alder's wife had died in her early 50s more than a decade earlier. He was speaking from experience.

Paul's eyes connected with one of his G-Men agents as he entered the room. The agent nodded to him, and Paul straightened.

"Here she comes," he said. As soon as the words left his mouth, the doors opened, and Iris entered with Cilan at her side. Her arrival called for all those present to rise to her feet, and they did so before breaking into an applause. Iris was clearly taken aback by this welcome, especially since it came from so many people whom she personally admired—from Lenora, to Clay, to Shauntal, to Cynthia, to her own brothers-in-law, Cress and Chili... She quickly became overwhelmed.

"Thank you," she said breathlessly. The words were lost in the noise, so she repeated them again, and then again as the applause started to die down.

"Thank you," Iris began anew once she had silence. "Really, thank you so much for your support and for being here today. I can't say in words how much it means to me. I'm not really a person good with words—that would be my husband, the S-Class Connoisseur." Her comment elicited some laughter among the crowd; even Cilan chuckled. Feeling more comfortable, Iris continued, "But I hope that I can show my appreciation to you through serving you and serving Unova in the years to come. Thank you again."

The applause started again, and Cilan affectionately touched her lower arm, giving a nod of approval. Iris smiled, relieved. He had told her last night something like this might happen, and she had just now parroted, albeit much less eloquently, some of the suggestions he gave for what she could say in response. Yet, she was genuine, and that was all that mattered.

Leaf let out a long breath, which Gary noticed.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"No," she answered. "I'm relieved, actually. This just... This just proves that Lance is wrong. That abashed charm and wit will have people at her feet in no time."

She sounded as though she were trying to reassure herself. While she and Lance disagreed on some matters, she knew his perspective, though often pessimistic, was not to be dismissed. Gary frowned and looked back toward Iris.

"Yeah," he agreed, even if he wasn't entirely sure himself.

When the accolades ended and side conversations resumed, Chili and Cress made their way through the crowd toward their brother and sister-in-law.

"Good show, Iris!" Chili swept her into a hug, catching her by surprise. "Can't wait to hear the real speech. You're gonna knock 'em dead."

Iris laughed nervously as Chili let her back down to the ground. She always became strangely self-aware of her own height every time she was surrounded by the three Griffith brothers. She was fine when it was just Cilan, but coupled with Cress and Chili, she felt as though she were wandering in a forest.

"The speech is what I'm most scared about, actually," she admitted.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Cress reassured her.

"Yeah, didn't Cilan and Wallace write it? Blame them if it doesn't go the way you hope," Chili offered. "I mean, Wallace is probably gonna be on his way out in the next couple of years or so anyway, and who cares about Cilan's reputation? He might as well be Mr. Ajagara."

"Love you too, Chili," Cilan said dryly.

Leaf and Paul also made their way over, with Dawn and Gary not far behind.

"They're starting to line people up to be seated. Gym leaders are over there," Paul said, flicking his head to give direction.

"Right." Cress nodded. "Thank you, sir."

As they left, Paul returned his attention to Iris.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess," Iris answered. "I'm glad you guys are here. I definitely wouldn't have agreed to do this if I didn't know you two were in it, too."

"I think that's mutual," Paul grunted, and Leaf nodded, agreeing.

"As cliché as it sounds, this is the literal dream team for the Championship," Gary spoke up. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually have hope for Napaj's future with you three at the helm."

"You better, because your relationship status depends on it," Leaf said flippantly.

"Then do a good job, because I actually like you a little bit," Gary threw back.

As Leaf and Gary began a banter match, Dawn noticed that Cilan was wearing a distant, troubled expression. She frowned, sympathetic.

"Don't worry," she said. "Everything will be fine, I promise. I was scared, too."

Cilan held his tongue, refusing to point out that the situations between Paul's and Iris's inauguration were vastly different. Cynthia had ensured an air of legitimacy was cast over Paul's ascension; Iris lacked the same benefit, and while she had the support of the Unova Elite, he wasn't sure he could say the same of Unova's citizenry. It certainly didn't help that Iris was a break in a forty-year reign. Cynthia's tenure was a quarter of that time.

Cilan swallowed his apprehension and smiled.

"Knock on wood," he said.

* * *

><p>Every time a member of the Unova Elite stepped onto the stage outside the Opelucid City Gym, wild cheers would break out among the crowd. Some ignored the noise while other gave a friendly wave of acknowledgement as they were seated. Trip found it interesting to note which gym leaders or Elite Four members were the most popular based on the applause they received. Elesa, Burgh, and Roxie were definitely some of the crowd's favorites.<p>

The atmosphere reached a fever pitch as former Champions—Lance, Cynthia, and Steven—appeared. Their arrival meant the current Champions, and Iris, were not far behind. Trip lifted his camera toward the Stone family. Cynthia and Steven both protectively stood with Emily, who, since her birth, had accumulated some fame by virtue of her parentage. The two were known for carefully managing their daughter's public appearances and interactions with the media, so it was a surprise they had brought her to Unova.

He then turned the lens to Lance. His expression was stoic as he followed Cynthia and Steven to their assigned seating.

When Wallace and Winona appeared next in line, Trip knew he needed to prepare to move backstage for the one photo he really wanted to capture. While it was an honor being the sole photographer for the Unova League, it meant he was creatively strained to get the stock he needed versus what he wanted. He waited for Paul, Dawn, Leaf, Gary, and Cilan's arrival to grab a few shots before quickly turning off his camera and switching lenses. For archiving purposes, he would have to pull photos of Alder's entrance from a news wire service, which, while a sacrifice, would be worth the exchange.

Trip quickly left his station and made a beeline for one of the underground entrances into the gym. He frowned when he realized it was unguarded. He knew security was stretched, but he had hoped it would be better than this.

He descended the stairs into a carpeted hallway and was surprised to see there was a man inside. Initially, he thought he might be one of Paul's G-Men agents, but he knew that wasn't possible. He was out of uniform.

"Excuse me?" Trip called out to the man. The man froze, and Trip continued, "Who are you?"

The man quickly turned to face him.

"I-I am, I am..." The man looked behind him nervously, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"This area is for authorized personnel, only," Trip said firmly. "Gym leaders, Elite Four members, Champions, G-Men agents, and other employees of the league—and you are none of the above."

"Right, sorry... I was just..." The man didn't finish. He hurried past Trip, back outside. Trip whipped his head to watch him go, his expression a mix of annoyance and alarm. He returned to the door and locked it, lest the man try to re-enter. He mentally noted he would need to find a G-Men agent and relay the incident to them—as soon as he got what he came to get.

He readjusted the camera strap around his neck and continued onward, up more stairs and into the main building. He arrived just in time.

Iris was alone, wringing her hands together nervously as she looked out the window at the massive crowd of people waiting to see her. The sunlight fell through the translucent curtains and highlighted the traces of apprehension in her expression, the neutral curve of her lip.

Her reverie broke with the click of camera. She snapped her head toward Trip with wide eyes, but she relaxed again when she realized it was him.

"I didn't see you there," she said.

"I have a special talent for going unnoticed."

"Don't say that." She glowered at him. When he didn't respond, Iris looked out the window again, waiting for the signal that it was her time to go outside. Alder was still moving down the way, so she had a little time left.

Trip, meanwhile, switched the setting on his camera to view the photos he had taken. The one with Iris was the first to appear, and he was satisfied with the result. His job was to produce iconic images, images that would both humanize Iris and build her reputation as a leader. A solemn, anxious expression prior to her inauguration certainly had the human element.

He suddenly remembered something and, looking up, asked, "There's been no one suspicious here, has there?"

Iris moved her gaze back toward his.

"No, why?"

"No reason," Trip answered. "Just looking out for you. That's all."

"You don't need to. I'm fine." She turned her head toward the window a third time and sighed. "What do you think they're saying? All those people?"

"The ones who are here are the ones who support you. The ones who stayed home... probably what you would expect." Trip shrugged. He didn't sugarcoat it. Still, he added, "They don't matter, though. They're just now figuring out what we've known for a while, thanks to Silver."

Iris was surprised by the mention of Silver. He, along with the issue of the G-Men, was a topic largely treated with silence among the group. It had been seven years since they had last seen him, and he had left mixed opinions. Yet, his verbal tirades against the G-Men had since turned into a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy, and they were all aware of it at varying degrees.

She, along with Leaf and Paul, was there to reverse it.

"I have to go," Trip changed the subject. "Good luck, though."

"Thanks..." Iris watched as he brushed past her.

Trip left in a hurry, wondering where he would be able to find an available G-Men agent. There were so few compared to the larger population, and it would be a pain to locate one without having to make a scene. There were certainly a few on stage, but it would incite public suspicion if he pulled one of them aside. He didn't want to do that, especially if his doubts were unfounded.

Once he was back outside, Trip looked to the stage and noticed that Alder was finally seated. Iris would be on stage in perhaps a minute or so. Then, as luck would have it, Trip spotted a female agent standing near one of the areas roped off to the general crowd. He quickly approached her.

"Hey," he started, and she turned her head. "My name's Trip McGonnigal, and I'm the league photographer here." He flashed the event ID hanging from the lanyard around his neck as proof. "I wanted to let you know that while I was taking the underground entrance into the gym, I ran into someone who was unauthorized in the hallway. They were probably just a fan or petty thief, but I thought you ought to know."

"Do you have a physical description?" she asked.

"Mm... Male, early- to mid-20s, red hair," Trip answered. "They were wearing black pants and a gray jacket. They also had some kind of hat... black with a large, white cross-stitch at the front."

"A jacket in this weather?" She craned an eyebrow.

"Yeah..." Trip supposed it was a little strange, now that he thought about it.

"Are they still there?" she asked.

"No." Trip shook his head. "I think I scared him off, and I locked the door behind me, so he couldn't get back in unless he wanted to make a scene and break in."

"All right. Thank you for letting me know." She promptly turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

><p>Iris initially squinted when the full light of the sun greeted her as she stepped outside, and her head went fuzzy with the storm of screams and cheers that came with her appearance. She blinked the spots out of her eyes to see that the elite company on stage had risen again to hail her arrival. She lifted her gaze further to take in the full mass of the audience that had come to see her.<p>

For a moment, she swore she saw the classic grin of Ash Ketchum in the sea of people. Iris smiled crookedly and waved before beginning to move down the aisle.

Alder and Cilan met her at the bottom, in front of the podium. Alder gave her a hearty pat on the back while Cilan carefully, though firmly, took her hand. Her husband's touch and encouraging smile helped Iris recenter herself, and she breathed out the tension in her chest. Cilan guided her to their seats, which was in the front row, across the aisle from Alder. She was to the right of the podium, while Alder was to the left. Yet, Alder didn't return to his seat. He instead stepped up to the multiple microphones, being the first to speak.

"What a grand day it is!" he began with his usual jocund attitude and smile, to the cheers of the crowd. "It has been an honor and privilege to be your leader for so many years—and while some may be sad to see me go—remember that the future is bright for Unova and for Napaj." He paused, allowing the next round of audience plaudits to run its course. He then turned an eye toward Iris in her seat.

"Iris has proved herself to be a woman of heart, of character, and of strength. I know she will—in the company of our other great modern leaders, Leaf Greene; Paul Rebolledo; and Wallace Reyes—raise the standard of our nation with progressivism while restoring and maintaining the traditions that made us great."

Cilan's grip on his wife's hand tightened. Iris was tempted to glance back at Leaf and Paul to see their reactions, but she stopped herself.

"When I look at Iris Ajagara, I don't see the shortcomings that so many seem stuck on—I see opportunity. I see change, for the better," Alder continued. "She carries a light in her that many do not have. She understands the souls of people and Pokemon better than perhaps anyone I've met in my 65 years on this earth. I'm excited to see what future she will shape for Unova, and I hope you are, too. So, while I am grateful for the years I've spent in the service of Unova, it is with hope and gladness that I pass the honor and duties of the Championship seat on to Iris. Thank you."

Alder stepped away from the podium, and that was Iris's cue to rise. Cilan stood with her.

"That was short," Iris said shakily under her breath to Cilan. She was barely audible through the cheers of the crowd.

"It didn't need to be long," he replied. "_You_ are the star of today, after all."

She and Cilan met Drayden and Alder in front of the podium, and they were joined by the three other current Champions in a line behind them.

"Are you ready to take the Oath of Champions, Ms. Ajagara?" Drayden asked.

Iris exhaled slowly.

"I am," she said, nodding. She didn't let her voice waver.

"Then please raise your right hand."

Iris followed his instructions. The audience had practically fallen silent by then.

"I, Iris Ajagara, do solemnly affirm," Drayden started.

"I, Iris Ajagara, do solemnly affirm," Iris repeated.

Nearby, Trip lifted his lens to capture the age-old ceremony. The Oath of Champions was used in all of the Napajian regions, though certain words were adapted to fit each specific division. This would be the third time it had been spoken in the past two years; first by Leaf, then by Paul, and now Iris.

"-that I will carry out the responsibilities of the Unova Champion faithfully-"

"-that I will carry out the responsibilities of the Unova Champion faithfully-"

Iris grew more confident with every word. Cilan tilted his head and smiled at her, feeling himself swell with pride.

"-and will strive to preserve, protect, and promote-"

"-and will strive to preserve, protect, and promote-"

Paul's gaze suddenly flicked elsewhere, and he grew tense. Leaf noticed the change, and she tried to discreetly find what had his attention.

"-the welfare of the people and Pokémon of Unova-"

"-the welfare of the people and Pokémon of Unova-"

Leaf soon saw it. His source of alarm was one of his own G-Men agents, who was moving quickly through the crowd near the front of the stage—to whom or what, they didn't know.

"-and the Napajian nation."

"-and the Napajian nation," Iris finished.

"Congratulations, Madam Champion." Drayden extended his arm to shake her hand, the title successfully bestowed upon her. Iris beamed as she accepted the gesture before turning to Cilan and letting him kiss her cheek.

Yet, the celebratory roars of the crowd were abruptly punctured by the sound of a gunshot in the air. Iris barely had time to whip her head around to see that a G-Men agent had tackled a man to the ground before Paul grabbed her upper arm and pulled her with him. Leaf also laid a protective hand on the small of Iris's back, pushing her along, back toward inside the gym.

"Come on, Iris," Paul growled as chaos on the stage and in the crowd ensued. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>"<em>What happened<em>?" Lance was the first to angrily break the question as the elite ushered themselves back inside in a panic. The agent to whom he directed the question recoiled back. Lance was still a respected figure among the G-Men, even if he was no longer officially involved as its leader.

"There was a gunshot, sir," the agent replied. The group of elite trainers began to circle around him, Lance, and the other leaders as they spoke. Iris was still with Leaf and Paul, though Cilan had caught up with them. Iris appeared quite shaken, while Leaf looked nearly as angry as her predecessor. Paul and Cilan were equally upset.

"Obviously there was a gunshot." Paul moved into the conversation, and Cilan replaced his company. "Who was that person Angela tackled? Why?"

"Sir—" The agent in question, Angela Gray, appeared. "—I received a tip from the league photographer that a person of his description was found in the underground entrance to gym. When I saw him, he was pulling a firearm out of his pocket and approaching the stage, and it fired accidentally in the air when I stopped him. He is now in custody."

"You mean to say _Trip_ is the one who sounded the alarm, and not one of you?" Paul asked, irate.

"Gary, Dawn—" Leaf began in a low voice, turning toward them. "Go find Trip, please." The two nodded and promptly left. Decidedly taking control of the situation, Leaf then asked, "Wallace, how soon can we release a statement to the media?"

"It depends on what you're looking to say," he replied.

"Just the basics—that Iris is fine, no one is hurt, and that more information will be released when we have it."

"Fifteen minutes," Wallace decided.

"Good. When you're finished, please join Cilan to help him revise Iris's speech," Leaf said.

"M-My speech?" Iris finally spoke up.

"You still want her to deliver it? After that?" Cilan asked disapprovingly.

"Yes," Leaf answered firmly, "but not in the way you think. I'd like for it to be recorded within the next couple of hours, when Iris has recollected herself and we know more about the incident, and then released to all the major media stations and posted online."

Cilan still looked unsure, but he didn't have the chance to further his protest as Dawn and Gary soon returned with Trip.

"Is this about what I think it is?" Trip asked. "I didn't realize he had a gun on him. I would've acted a lot differently had I known that."

"Never mind that right now," Leaf dismissed. "Do you think you could set up a makeshift studio and film Iris delivering her speech?"

Trip appeared estranged.

"No. I'm a _photo_grapher, not a _video_grapher," he said. "I suppose I could record her speaking, but it probably wouldn't be of the quality you're expecting."

"I know someone who could film Iris." Georgia cut into the conversation and through the crowd of gym leaders that had gathered. Her hand was on her hip as she entered the circle.

"Who are you?" Leaf asked. Her voice was sharp, testy.

"Georgia Hamilton," she answered shortly. "I'm the Icirrus City Gym Leader. I know for a fact that Luke Thompson, a director and videographer for PokéStar Studios, is in the audience, and there is a 95 percent chance he has some nice video equipment on him. If not, he can get it quickly."

"Do you have his number?"

"I have my best friend's number, and she was going with him and some other people today," Georgia said.

"That'll do. Please follow me." Before Leaf turned to leave with Georgia, she took one last look at Iris. "Go find somewhere to breathe for now. I need you ready and back in the game in two hours, at most."

* * *

><p>"The suspect safely arrived at the Opelucid City Police Station," Agent Gray informed Paul once they were alone, as they walked through the empty hallway in which Trip originally found the gunman. "Agent Murray has already tried interviewing him, but he remains silent."<p>

"We'll see how silent he is once Lance and I get through him," Paul grunted. "Tell Cole not to worry about it for now."

Agent Gray's lips tightened.

"The local Officer Jenny found something during a strip search," she began. "On the inside of his jacket... apparently, there was the crest of Team Plasma embroidered."

"The crest of _what_?"

"Team Plasma," Agent Gray repeated. "It's a crime ring in Unova."

"Do you know anything more about them?" Paul asked.

"No, sir."

"Right..." Paul sighed and rubbed his temple. "Please go find Cilan and bring him here."

"Champion Leaf asked that he work on Iris's speech," Agent Gray reminded.

"I know what Leaf said," Paul said shortly. "Cilan is Iris's husband, and he is not going to be in the state of mind to do speechwriting. Wallace will take care of that once he's finished the statement. Go get him."

"Yes, sir."

As she left, Paul turned and continued up the hallway until he reached the door leading outside. He noticed it was locked and figured it was Trip's doing. It was eerie to think about, but if Trip had not decided to go backstage, the gunman would have caught Iris defenseless. Paul sighed and leaned his head against the door, his hand still on the handle.

"I'm probably going to ask to have that sealed." Cilan's voice came several minutes later. Paul hadn't moved, and he glanced behind him.

"I wouldn't blame you," he said. "We can have it done today, if you would like. I'll also have the G-Men agents here on guard tonight, so you and Iris can sleep easy."

"Thank you." Cilan added, "I don't know if either Iris or I will sleep, though."

"You should ask Drew if he still has his Butterfree Sleeping Powder prescription." Paul dropped his hand and turned to face Cilan head-on. "How are you doing right now?"

"I am—" Cilan stopped short and redirected the course of his reply. "—I don't know what you want me to say. Someone tried to assassinate my wife."

Paul let out a long breath.

"Leaf and I were worried something like this would happen," he grumbled. "Lance apparently was, too, and Cynthia became upset with him for it. I don't know about Steven or Wallace, but..."

"Have you spoken with Alder, yet?" Cilan asked.

"No, have you?"

"Presently, I don't think I would be able to maintain my composure if we spoke," Cilan confessed with an unusually bitter edge in his voice. "It was nice that he addressed the concerns surrounding Iris's competence in his opening speech today, but that clearly wasn't enough. And now she's Champion... I don't know what we'll do. This will follow her for life. She will always be the gym leader who 'unfairly' jumped to Champion."

"We'll figure it out," Paul said. "Iris will have to build her reputation and live up to the image Alder painted of her today, which was what she was going to have to do anyway. Maybe we can't erase Alder's botched nomination, but we can let what she'll accomplish cover it up."

"I suppose." Cilan paused. "Was there a reason you wanted to see me?"

"To check in, mainly," Paul said. "But to also ask you a question: Do you know anything about Team Plasma?"

Cilan blinked.

"I know some," he answered. "Why do you ask?"

"The gunman belonged to Team Plasma, and I'm looking at possible motivations, other than her nomination," Paul said. "I don't mean to sound crass, but Iris is a young, dark-skinned woman. In the eyes of some people, those are three strikes against her."

"I realize that." Cilan nodded tacitly. "I'm not sure if that's why, but Team Plasma being behind it does make some sense."

"How so?"

"It's _strongly_ anti-league," Cilan explained. "It vehemently opposes the institution of Pokémon training and encourages the liberation of Pokémon from trainers. Since Iris is now the figurehead for the Unova League, it would make sense if Team Plasma wanted her dead." The final words were unpalatable on Cilan's tongue, and hearing them from his own mouth sent a chill through his spine.

"Do you know if there's any written matter on them?" Paul asked.

"On Team Plasma? Maybe." Cilan then shook his head. "... You know there's no large, centralized government unit in Unova. It's Iris, and that's it. If you're looking for a database of information on Team Plasma, well, it doesn't exist."

"Then I suppose you know what the next step is."

Cilan frowned.

"Iris isn't going to be easily swayed into establishing a branch of the G-Men here. She can be very... stubborn," he said. "I love her, but she is not always realistic."

"Which is why it's good she married you," Paul said. "You're going to have to convince her. I know she admires Alder and doesn't want to upset him, but when she took that oath, she became the Champion. Remind her of that: She's the Champion now. Not Alder."

Cilan let out a resigned sigh before agreeing.

"I'll do my best."

"Thank you..." Paul trailed off. "Well, I won't keep you any longer. I'm sure you want to see Iris. If Leaf finds you and gets mad you're not working on the speech, direct her to me."

"I will." Cilan stepped back. "Thank you to you, too. I appreciate it."

"I would appreciate it if you tried _not_ to be found by Leaf," Paul said gruffly. "It'll save me some trouble."

Cilan let out a half-hearted laugh.

"I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

><p>After fifteen minutes, Iris finally managed to get her hands to stop shaking, if only because Dawn had held them the entire time and murmured encouraging words that the newly inaugurated Unova Champion could no longer remember. She wasn't so scared as she was shocked. The notion that someone had possibly wanted to kill her had not fully sunk in, yet.<p>

"I'm sorry," Iris began, pulling her hands back from Dawn's. She sat across from the coordinator, and she was also in the company of Gary, Winona, Cynthia, and young Emily. Steven was with Lance, Drayden, and Alder, presumably preparing to head down to the police station with Paul. "I feel so stupid. I should be doing something. I shouldn't just be sitting here and..."

"No, no, sweetheart," Winona corrected, gently touching her shoulder. "It's all right. Don't talk down to yourself."

"This is not the what someone who's supposed to be a leader should be doing," Iris retorted.

"It's okay to let the others handle things right now," Cynthia said tenderly. "Leaf wanted you to have some time to come to yourself. No one is judging you."

Iris nodded but buried her face in her hands. Despite everything, she had yet to cry, and she still lacked the desire.

"I just didn't think this would happen."

"You were given an unfair shake," Gary muttered. Cynthia cast her eyes toward him with an indiscernible expression, but her gaze was knife-like.

"Yeah, it's not your fault," Dawn said reassuringly. "Don't worry. Paul, Leaf—they're going to make sure everything turns out okay. You guys and Wallace are a team."

"And there is a learning curve," Cynthia added. "Paul, Leaf, and Wallace have more than thirteen years of experience combined. You may not feel like a leader now, but you have those natural qualities, and you will settle into them. It's not fair to measure yourself so soon, and especially after something like this."

"Iris?" She perked up upon hearing her name, and she quickly turned her head.

"Cilan," she breathed, and he embraced her when she stood. Her hands tightly grasped the fabric on the back of his vest, and she leaned her head against his chest.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"Okay."

"Are you lying?" He pulled his head back to look down at her.

"Yes."

Cilan smiled sadly at her before kissing the top of her hair and letting her bury herself in him again. Dawn rose to her feet, and her and Cilan's gazes connected.

* * *

><p>"Okay, well I think the first order of business is to move the teleprompter from outside to inside so those changes to Iris's speech can be inputted," Luke said as he followed Leaf in quick stride. He was a little (a lot) surprised when his services were called upon by a Champion, but he had risen to the occasion. "I'm guessing you guys don't have studio lights, but we'll manage."<p>

"Whatever you need, we'll try to get you, within reason," Leaf said. "I want this filmed and edited as soon as possible."

"Right, don't worry," Luke assured her.

The two moved so quickly that they ended up leaving the rest of the group behind in bewilderment.

"Wait, I don't get it!" Barry called after them. "What's going on? Why is Iris's speech being filmed? What even happened at the ceremony? I swear, someone's going to get a fi-"

"-Assassination attempt." The short answer came from Georgia as she strolled toward them, and initially, they weren't sure if they had heard her correctly.

"What?" Burgundy's voice pitched a note higher. "You can't be _sérieuse_."

"Someone wanted to kill Iris?" Misty pressed further.

"Apparently so," Georgia replied. "Some guy had a gun, and it fired by accident when a G-Men agent tackled him. I'm sure the local friendly league photographer can explain it better than I can, since he's like the hero of the day." She pointed to Trip, who was approaching the group, with her thumb, and he appeared briefly surprised he had been called out.

"Ah... When I was going through one of the entrances, I noticed someone suspicious in the hallways and told one of Paul's G-Men agents about it," Trip elaborated once he realized what was being asked of him. "She was the one who found him and noticed he had the gun."

Most of the group's members appeared struck. Drew exhaled all his air in one, quick breath and pinched the bridge of his nose before leaning back against the wall.

"That's _terrible_," Ritchie said, aghast. "Is Iris okay?"

"We haven't really seen her," Trip answered. "No one was hurt when the gun fired, if that's what you're asking."

May noticed her boyfriend's troubled stance and she looked at him with concern before asking, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Drew dropped his hand. "It's not a big deal."

"No, really," she persisted.

"May, believe me, my problems are last on the priority list," Drew said, still trying to ward her off.

"Just spit it out, Drew," Zoey huffed.

When Drew realized he had a dozen eyes on him, he knew he was trapped. He let out an irate sigh and pushed his fingers through his bangs.

"Mr. Contesta asked me this morning to get started on a movement to establish a branch of coordinating in Unova," he began, and several surprised breaths swept across the group. Leaf returned, and she stopped to listen. Drew continued, "But, with this, that's obviously not going to happen now, and that's okay."

"Arceus, Drew, that's awesome," Kenny appalled. "I mean, yeah, all things considered, it's not gonna happen right now, but still-"

"-Oh no, it's going to happen," Leaf suddenly jumped into the conversation, having heard enough.

"What?" Drew asked.

"Don't back down on this because of today," Leaf insisted. "Call Contesta if you must and tell him I want you still working on this."

"_Why_?"

"I don't want Napajian people, or worse, Team Plasma itself, thinking that one grunt can shake up the entire league and G-Men. Also, Iris needs something good to add to her résumé right away, and what better than contests in Unova?" Leaf then cast Ash a pointed look. "And on the note of not letting Team Plasma disrupt league activities—Ash, have your list to me by Friday."

"Oh, about that, I've already got it figured-" He stopped short when he realized Leaf had left again, and he frowned.

* * *

><p>"It looks fine to me," Cilan said, pulling off his reading glasses as he finished skimming the speech Wallace had revised for Iris. "I have no changes to add."<p>

Wallace thanked him before suggesting, "It would be good for Iris to read it over, too, before Mr. Thompson turns on the camera."

"I agree." Cilan nodded.

Luke was in the process of setting up his camera on its stand in front of an armchair pulled from the living quarters of the gym. Elesa had touched up Iris's make-up and hair, now attempting to make her camera ready. Iris waited on the chair, nervously twiddling her thumbs while Luke framed the camera shot. Cilan approached with the speech in hand and knelt at the chair's side.

"Wallace finished the speech," he said, handing it to her. "If you have any input, please let us know."

"I'm sure it's fine," Iris responded. "What changes are there?"

"A different beginning and a tweaked ending," he answered. "To account for what happened."

"Right." Iris scanned the first page, then flipped to the back. "Okay, yeah. I'm fine with this. I trust you and Wallace. I already said today I wasn't a person good with words."

"No, but you are good with many, many other things."

Iris's lips twitched into a smile, which only widened when her eyes met her husband's. Her leaned over the armrest and kissed her, and she gladly reciprocated.

"I'll have these changes made for the teleprompter, too. All right?" Cilan said after pulling away and retrieving the speech.

"All right," Iris agreed. As soon as he got up to leave, Iris heard her name called again. She looked around for the source and eventually rose to her feet, causing Luke to complain about her needing to stay sitting so he could finish framing the shot. She paid little mind to him, however, when she realized her others friends—those who had been in the audience—had come.

She breathed out and smiled again before picking up her dress and hurrying toward them. May and Ash simultaneously embraced her when they met.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked. "No, wait, don't answer that. That's a dumb question."

"We were really worried, and we're so relieved you're all right," May added, a hint of a tearful waver in her voice.

For the first time in the past two hours, Iris felt like she wanted to cry, but she held it back. She didn't want to mess up Elesa's hard work again, especially right before Luke was supposed to film her.

"I feel better now that you guys are here," she said, a little shaky.

"You seem to be doing pretty well," Zoey commented. "A lot better than I would have thought."

"I'm kind of brave facing it right now," Iris admitted.

"Well, you're doing a great job," Stephan said.

"Yeah, if I were you, I would be nowhere near as composed!" Bianca said.

"Iris!" The Unova Champion turned to Leaf when she approached. "Luke and the teleprompter are ready when you are."

Iris nodded, understanding.

"I'm ready," she said.

Leaf escorted her back to the armchair and Luke, once again, adjusted the frame when she sat down. She brushed some hair out of her face and crossed one leg over the other, trying to get comfortable. Perhaps the one silver lining, she realized, was that she got to deliver the speech in front of one camera instead of two dozen and a countless crowd of people.

"Quiet on the floor!" Luke called.

Leaf moved away and stood with the larger group. Others, including Dawn and Gary, were soon to join them. Cilan remained near to Iris, next to the teleprompter. Iris closed her eyes and inhaled, trying to expel all other thoughts. She understood how important this was. This was the start to publicly recovering from the gunshot heard two hours earlier.

"Okay, Iris," Luke began in a half-whisper. "I'm gonna count down from three, and that's when you're gonna begin speaking. Just like old times, right?"

"Right."

"Good... All right, three—" He held up three fingers for emphasis. "—two—" It dropped to two fingers. "—one." He only mouthed the last number before pointing to her.

The words on the teleprompter began to roll.

"To the people of Unova and Napaj," Iris began with a poise and clarity she never believed possible in herself.

.

.


	3. II: In Which Gary Presents the Problem

.

.

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Chapter II: In Which Gary Presents the Problem

.

.

_**May 8th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

The air was still thick with steam from Dawn's shower as she jostled her fingers through her hair and ran the blow dryer, giving her darker, wetter tresses some exposure to the heat. It was becoming more difficult to maintain her hair as it grew longer, but she couldn't bring herself to get it cut—not yet, at least. She had formed too much of an attachment.

After she hit the off switch and set down the blow dryer, she could hear Paul's voice emerge from the other side of the door. She strained to hear him but couldn't make out the words.

She pursed her lips, but continued with the rest of her morning rituals as planned. She finished styling her hair, brushed her teeth, and applied some light make-up. Paul was still talking, and Dawn was trying to decide whether it was by phone or if they had a visitor in their hotel room. She pressed her towel closer to her figure and, cracking open the door, peered outside. Paul was on the phone. Relieved, she opened the door fully. His eyes briefly flicked to her when she walked in.

"I don't have a problem with it," Paul carried on with his conversation. "If Lance thinks it's necessary, that's fine. ... No, I can't. I'm meeting with Iris."

Dawn went to the wardrobe and opened it up. She picked out a few articles of clothing, and Paul turned his head away as she began to dress herself.

"No, she won't, either. Her flight leaves soon, so she and Gary can make it back to Kanto in time his thesis defense," he went on. "... Well, let us know how it goes. All right. Thank you."

"Who were you talking to?" Dawn asked after he hung up, pulling her damp hair out of the collar of her shirt.

"Wallace," Paul answered. "He, Lance, Cynthia, and Steven are meeting with Alder to tell him not to dissuade Iris from starting a Unovan G-Men unit."

"Sounds like a high school reunion, but worse."

"Once you're in, your only out is the grave," Paul added dryly.

"Why aren't you going?"

"Because I'm going to try to _persuade_ Iris to start a Unovan G-Men unit," he replied. "I also wasn't interested in a front-row seat to a sparring match."

Dawn let out a breath and shook her head.

"I really hope you, Iris, and Leaf still like each other after 10 years," she half-laughed.

"Iris? Most likely. Leaf? Questionable," Paul mumbled. "It's really only Cynthia and Lance who fight, anyway."

"You and Leaf only argue because you care about what you do." Dawn hesitated before adding, "Although, I guess the same could be said for Lance and Cynthia, too..."

"That's also questionable."

"Questionable for which one of you? You, Leaf, Cynthia, or Lance?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he dropped his phone off on the desk and went to the closet to retrieve a towel and shower himself. Dawn sighed.

"By the way... There's something I wanted to talk to you about," she tentatively started again.

"That is?"

"Mr. Contesta, the president of the APC, asked Drew to start a new branch of coordinating in Unova," she explained. She was slow, careful. "Drew asked me to join his staff, and I would really like to. The semester for DIL is done, and I don't have anything to do this summer, but..."

Paul shut the closet door and turned to look at her.

"Dawn," he began simply. "You're an adult. You don't have to ask me for permission."

She gave him a disbelieving look. Irritation was apparent in her expression.

"It's not about that," she protested, following him as he headed toward the bathroom. "When you're in a relationship, you _talk_ about these things. If I commit to helping Drew, then I'll be here for the entire summer, if not longer. Long-distance relationships are hard, which is why this is something we should talk about."

Paul stopped and turned to face her again, leaning up against the doorway.

"There is no concern for that," he said. "I'm staying in Unova, too."

"_What_?"

"I'm staying to help Iris. Leaf is going back for the Indigo Conference, and since the Sinnoh League isn't for months, I can stay here and help," he explained.

Dawn wanted to make a comment—Why didn't he bring up his extended stay in Unova with her earlier?—but she held her tongue. He was already in a sour mood, and being snarky would only make him snap.

"All right," she replied, subduing her own frustration. "I'm glad this isn't a problem. ... If we're both staying in Unova, though, do you want to get an apartment together?"

"An apartment?"

"Sure. We could probably find a nice, furnished apartment with a short three- or four-month lease here." Dawn settled back into a mild manner. "I know May and Drew are looking for one. It would be a _lot_ less expensive than paying upward of $150 a night for a hotel room. I mean, if you would rather get separate apartments, that's okay, too."

"No, it's fine," Paul interjected. "We can get an apartment together."

Dawn appeared unsure. She wasn't entirely convinced by his response. Still, she went along with it, saying, "Okay. I'll start looking for one today, then." She reached up and pecked him on the lips. "I have to go. I'm meeting with Drew and the others for coffee, and I'm going to tell him I'm onboard for his campaign. Good luck with Iris."

"Thanks," Paul mumbled in response. "You too."

She smiled before retrieving her purse and heading toward the door. Paul watched her go before shutting himself inside the bathroom.

* * *

><p>Misty mouthed the room numbers as she passed each door down the long hallway, pulling her luggage behind her. When she found the room she wanted, she stopped, raised her hand to knock, and waited. Gary was the one to answer.<p>

"About time you got here," he said without any welcome. Misty rolled her eyes and entered the room when he swung the door further open.

"Good morning to you, too, Gary," she said dryly. Inside, she found Leaf sitting on the sofa, scribbling something on a small notepad. Her and Gary's luggage were set on top of the coffee table. Leaf looked up when she realized Misty had arrived.

"Hey," she greeted. "All checked out?"

"Mhm," Misty intoned, nodding. She pulled her own luggage up beside her as proof.

"Good. I'm just finishing up some sitter notes for Paul. He said Agent Murray would take us to the airport, but I'd rather he work on the case, so I'm thinking about calling a cab."

"Sitter notes?" Misty craned an eyebrow.

"Paul's staying in Unova with Iris to help out," Leaf elaborated. "He doesn't have any real training or experience in PR like Wallace or I do, though, so I'm leaving him some 'do's' and 'do not's.'"

"Couldn't he just call one of you?" Misty asked.

"Paul calling someone for help?" Leaf scoffed as she tore her notes off the pad. "I'll be lucky if he even reads this. I wish I could stay myself, but the league-"

She was cut off by another knock at the door. She, Gary, and Misty exchanged confused looks.

"Was I expecting someone else?" Leaf questioned herself aloud before standing up and heading to the door. The identity of her visitor surprised her.

"Hi... Ash," she said tepidly. She pushed the door further open as an invitation for him to come inside, but he remained firmly rooted to the place he stood.

"Hey." He stuck out a sealed envelope toward her. "You said you wanted my list by Friday, so here it is."

His and Misty's gazes briefly connected, but she looked away and shied out of his view. Gary let out an irritated sigh and sat on the sofa, next to the space Leaf previously occupied. Leaf blinked and accepted the envelope.

"Thank... you..." She sounded unsure. "You know, you could have just waited until we met at the airport."

"Oh, well, Ritchie and I are actually taking a later flight than you," Ash explained.

"You are?"

"Yeah. It leaves like an hour and a half later."

"Well... you could have also given it to me tonight at Gary's thesis defense," Leaf offered. Ash suddenly perked up.

"Can I go to that?"

Leaf gave him a strange look.

"Of course you can," she said.

"Oh... Well, okay then!" Ash's disposition brightened considerably. "I guess Ritchie and I will see you guys tonight then, too."

"Yeah," Leaf agreed. "We'll see you later."

He gave an awkward little wave before turning to leave. Leaf frowned and closed the door. After a brief period of silence, she slowly turned to the others and asked, "Okay... What was that all about?"

"Leaf," Gary began as though it were obvious, tossing a casual hand in the air, "he _knows_ you and Misty are keeping your distance."

Misty cringed at the mention of her name, and Leaf glowered at him.

"Did you tell him?" she asked, annoyed.

"No," Gary answered. "He figured it out on his own, after two of his best friends essentially stopped talking to him after he won the Indigo Conference. You guys are not subtle."

"He has to understand why," Leaf protested.

"He does, and he doesn't." Gary shrugged. "He gets that it has to do with impartiality."

Leaf let out a long, still irate sigh. She leaned back against the desk in the room, folding her arms.

"It's a lot more than just impartiality," she mumbled.

"Look, you're doing anything _wrong_, per se. It's just a bad situation," Gary went on. "Ash is a sensitive guy. There's no getting around that. He also doesn't fully grasp the complexity of Napajian politics. Most people don't."

Leaf huffed again.

"Well, come a couple months, Ash might win the honor of dealing with Napajian politics all to himself. Then maybe he'll understand." Leaf turned and snatched her cell phone off the table. "I'm calling for a cab."

After she left, Misty let out a distressed groan and sunk onto the coach beside Gary. He smiled wryly and said, "Some game, huh?"

* * *

><p>Cilan nimbly fixed his bowtie before stepping back to check his appearance in the mirror. Not a hair out of place, nor a wrinkle to be seen. Cilan let out a breath. Good. Nothing less would be acceptable for an S-Class Connoisseur, let alone the husband of Unova's newest Champion. He and Iris were in the public's eye now, and with Wednesday's incident, the nation's lens was turned on them. They had to be careful; <em>he<em> had to be careful. Anything he did could reflect poorly on Iris, and he did not want to be a greater hindrance to her already wounded reputation.

He left the bathroom back into the bedroom, then through the hallway. He found Iris in the kitchen, sitting by herself at the counter, idly stirring a reddish drink with a straw.

"What do you have there?" Cilan asked, quirking an eyebrow. Iris straightened, only now noticing his presence.

"Leppa Juice," she answered shortly. "It helps when you're not feeling well."

He frowned and asked, "Are you all right?"

"Eh." Iris shrugged her shoulders.

"Mmm... You do look a bit chalky, now that I think about it," Cilan mused. "Perhaps you should take a warm bath. It might help."

"I only like baths if you're in there with me."

Cilan let out a chuckle, initially unsure of how to respond. Iris was much more straightforward than him. It was a quality he admired in her, and it certainly made aspects of their relationship easier. If she was upset, she told him exactly why. If she wanted something, she told him she wanted it. If he was being obnoxious, she told him to knock it off.

She told him she loved him, often.

"Tempting, but I have to meet Burgundy in my office in about an hour," Cilan finally said.

"For your class?" Iris inquired, and Cilan nodded. She sighed and added, "Well, I guess I don't have time, either. Paul's coming over this morning, too, to discuss... things."

"Ah yes, _things_," Cilan said. "And are you going to be open to listening to his things?"

"Maybe," she drawled doubtfully, averting her gaze. He had been trying to approach this same subject with her since Wednesday. Cilan's lips tightened, knowing she was suspicious.

"Iris," he exhaled, deciding to be frank. "It would not be right for me to tell you what to do. Still, I would strongly advise you consider his proposition. He, Leaf, Wallace—they only have your best interests at heart."

"A new branch of the G-Men, though?" Iris groaned.

"I can't help but agree with Leaf and Paul. It may be the next best step," Cilan gently prodded her.

"The way I see it, the G-Men is a huge part of the problem in Napaj," Iris protested. "I don't want to make things worse in Unova."

"True, the G-Men is a part of the problem," Cilan conceded. "It is not the source of the problem, however. The main issue is that the G-Men and league are one in the same, meaning all power is vested into you and the other Champions as unelected officials. That situation doesn't change whether there's a physical G-Men branch here or not. That power that is supposed to exist solely within government is already installed in the Unova League."

"I guess so..."

"Adding a branching of the G-Men unit simply means more protection for you and efficiency in stopping those who intend to do harm unto you and other people and Pokémon," Cilan continued.

"But it reinforces the power of the Championship seat," Iris mumbled. "Sure, yeah, it helps protect against bad guys like Team Rocket and Team Plasma... but..."

Cilan hesitated. She had a point.

"It is a temporary solution," he admitted. "But it's needed now, so you and the others can focus on finding a permanent solution. That's what you, Leaf, and Paul are here for, correct?"

Iris sighed.

"Yeah," she said. "I know you're right. I just don't like it."

"I understand." Cilan reached out and gently ran his hand down her arm. "This was never going to be easy—for any of you."

"Nor was it for you."

Cilan smiled crookedly and then perked up, remembering he had somewhere to be. He glanced down at his watch and said, "I have to run. I'll see you later, though." He leaned toward her again and pecked her on the lips. She smiled as he pulled away.

"_Maiṅ tumse pyār kartī hūṅ_," she said.

"_Je t'aime aussi_," Cilan replied, genuine. "Feel better."

He retrieved his materials before leaving, and Iris downed the rest of her drink.

* * *

><p>"He's late," Lance said sharply, his arms folded as he watched the foot traffic outside the Opelucid Pokémon Center from its top floor. He, along with Wallace, Cynthia, and Steven, were waiting in one of the center's conference room, the same they had once used at the conclusion of the 2002 Team Rocket incident.<p>

"He and Drayden are getting older," Wallace said calmly, offering an excuse.

Initially, Lance didn't respond. Then, he slowly turned to face the others and, addressing Wallace, asked, "Where's Winona?"

"She's watching Emily," Wallace answered. He added, "She wasn't interested in coming anyway."

"Winona's a smart woman to avoid involvement with politics," Steven humored. "Unfortunately, you can only do so much when married to a Champion."

The door opened, and in came Alder with Drayden in tow. Lance's hard gaze turned to Alder. He avoided eye contact with his father.

"We've been waiting for you," Lance said flatly.

"Sorry 'bout that," Alder replied, abashed. "Got caught up in some other things this morning. Thankfully, Drayden was around to get me straightened out, as usual."

"Well, the important thing is that you're here now," Steven said tacitly.

"Right, right..." Alder sat down on the sofa, across from the others. Drayden sat next to him.

"I trust you realize why we wanted to see you today," Cynthia continued.

Alder frowned and sighed.

"I do," he said. "I'll make this short and easy for you guys, since I know you're probably itching to get back home. ... I'm not going to try to pressure Iris into doing, or not doing, anything. The reins are hers now, and it seems Leaf and Paul have a pretty good lock on what they wanna do, even if I disagree."

"If she feels you disapprove, she'll continue resisting," Lance said firmly.

"I won't tell her my opinion unless she asks for it," Alder responded.

Lance appeared unconvinced, and his father soon spoke up.

"I think that's perfectly fair, Lance," Drayden said.

"I agree," Wallace jumped in. "Thank you, Alder. It's greatly appreciated, not just by me, but by Leaf and Paul, too."

"Speaking of which, are they staying with Iris?" Steven asked.

"Paul is," Wallace answered. "Leaf is returning to the Indigo Plateau today. The Kanto League is doubly important to her with Ash as the challenger, and she certainly doesn't want a repeat of the last Silver Conference."

"I don't think anyone wants a repeat of the Silver Conference," Cynthia said. "Right, Lance?"

Initially, Lance appeared shocked at the implications of her inquiry. Then, he became angry.

"Don't you dare accuse me of fraud, Cynthia," he growled. "I told the refs nothing. They have personal motives for giving the match to the incumbent Champion. They don't need me to tell them to do it, and I wouldn't anyway."

Drayden hummed in agreement. Despite the sudden tension, he maintained an even tone as he said, "No ref would want to have their every call questioned by today's media."

"Wha... ?" Alder raised his eyebrows. The direction of the conversation was lost on him.

"There's a growing culture of presumption that the incumbent Champion will never lose, since it hasn't publicly happened for several decades—with you as the victor, as a matter of fact," Steven explained. "So, if a referee declares a televised victory on behalf of the Champion's opponent, there's a fear that people will be picky and challenge that decision."

"This issue was particularly obvious at the Silver Conference," Wallace added.

"Referees don't want to face repercussions from the media," Cynthia continued, apparently rescinding the suggestion Lance had personally ensured Leaf's victory. "If I recall correctly, however, Leaf fired that ref afterward."

"She did," Lance confirmed. His anger had largely subsided. "She was furious. Not only was she upset the match was unfair, she was offended that ref hadn't trusted in her abilities enough to defeat him. She probably would have, too, without the ref's help."

"Ah, I see..." Alder mused. "I didn't watch it, so..."

"It will be interesting to see what Leaf does this time around," Drayden said.

Lance grunted as he finally sat down.

"Yes, it will," he said.

* * *

><p>"So was it a fight, or ... ?" Kenny posed the question carefully as he sat across from Dawn in the small coffee shop where their small clique of coordinators had agreed to meet. They were alone, for now, with May and Drew standing in line to order their drinks, and the ambient, cappuccino-scented atmosphere had allowed them to slide into a more personal conversation.<p>

"Not really," Dawn answered, shrugging. Piplup was out of his ball and in her lap, and she was petting him. "I got mad, but it didn't escalate beyond that. He's just been very moody lately."

"Is there ever a time Paul isn't moody?"

"Well... I think the Championship is starting to overwhelm him," Dawn replied. "It's worse now with the Iris situation."

Kenny frowned.

"Yeah..." He brought his steaming drink to his lips and took a sip. "Is he at least supportive of you joining the campaign?"

"I think so. At least, it didn't faze him when I brought it up. We're going to try to find an apartment here."

"Mm, moving in together," Kenny teased. "Taking him for a test drive, Dee-Dee? You sure about that?"

Dawn scoffed before saying, "Don't be dumb. Knowing Paul, that kind of thing would be far, far in the future. Besides, we all know May and Drew are next in line."

"Next in line for what?" May asked innocently as she returned to the table with Drew.

"For coffee," Kenny answered quickly, though coolly, to save Dawn from the potentially embarrassing inquiry. "But now you've got your drinks, so let's talk about this campaign. What's the status, chief?"

"One, don't call me 'chief.' Two, where's Zoey?" Drew asked as he settled down into his seat.

"I sent her a message several minutes ago, and she replied that she was on her way," Dawn said. "She said not to wait."

"Well, in that case..." Drew turned and reached into his bag, pulling out a folder. "... the 'status' is that I'm still trying to fill out a staff list. I have a lot of names for who could fill these positions, but I wanted to run them by you guys. There are also several jobs where I'm drawing a blank, and I need ideas for who could do them."

He handed out several copies to his table companions, May included, and Dawn asked, "So you haven't actually hired any of these people yet?"

"No, I was planning on making phone calls tonight," Drew answered. "The only people confirmed so far are me, you, Kenny, and May."

"And probably Zoey when she gets here," Kenny added, turning the page. "Kelly Jacqueline in fundraising, huh? She's the girl who helps run her family's Pokéblock business in Lilycove, isn't she?"

"Yeah," Drew affirmed. "I'm hoping we can strike a partnership where she comes over and sells her Pokéblock and other things, with part of the proceeds going toward the campaign."

"Aw, I love Kelly! I'm positive she would do it," May gushed before looking back down at the packet. "Gosh, I feel like I know everyone on here—Brianna, Janet, Anthony, Grace, Savannah..." She paused, squinting. "I didn't know Savannah was a lawyer."

"She's had to bail her fellow MFP members out of trouble before," Drew explained in brief.

"Not surprising." Dawn let out a laugh before moving onto the next page. She paused when she saw the next name on the printed table. " ... Ursula Schoenberg for Social Media Manager?"

"Mm, right," Drew said with a light of realization in his eyes before he set down his coffee. "I wanted to ask you about that. Ursula was actually one of the recommendations Contesta passed onto me. She apparently was a social media intern for the APC a while back and did a good job, but I know you two are rivals and that there's a bit of a history there."

"No need to worry about that," Dawn cut in before Drew could continue. "If Ursula's good for the position, then you should definitely hire her. We're both adults, and I think we can be mature enough to set aside personal things and work together."

"If you say so," Drew said, shrugging. He stopped to look over at May when she nudged him in the shoulder several times. "What is it, May?"

"I saw that you have 'Accounts Supervisor' blank," she said. "That's like finances and budgets and stuff, right?"

"That's right."

"Well, I think I know someone who could fill it," May went on. "Do you remember Timmy Grimm? He's the guy who beat you right before the Verdanturf Contest so you couldn't enter?"

"How could I forget?" Drew replied dryly. When Kenny snickered, Drew whipped his head toward him and said, "Shut up, I was 12."

"Well, now he goes by Tim Grimm, and he _just_ graduated from Verdanturf University with a degree in Accounting," May continued. "I think he's still looking for a job, and this would be perfect for him!"

"All right." Drew retrieved a ballpoint pen and wrote the name down on his own copy. "Do you have his number?"

"I think so..." May pulled out her phone and began scrolling through her contact list. Dawn blinked and continued looking through Drew's tentative staff list.

"Are you only looking to hire coordinators?" she asked.

"No," Drew answered as May handed him her phone and he copied down Tim's number. "I'm fine with hiring outside the class. A lot of these people don't even compete anymore and have moved onto other things. Do you have someone in mind?"

"Well..." Dawn drawled. "Conway works in IT at the Snowpoint Academy, and I think he could be Chief Technology Officer. It would be a good stepping stone for him to do something better, so he might be interested."

"Can he make a website?"

"Probably," Dawn answered. "I don't have his number, but Candice would."

"Mmm," Kenny intoned, drawing in the attention of the others. "If you're gonna be lenient on trainer class, then do you think that maybe Barry could be put on staff? I think he'd be down for it. He probably would have come today if he hadn't agreed to spend time with Bianca."

"What would he do?" Drew asked.

"I dunno—outreach and marketing with me? He's a versatile guy," Kenny replied coolly. "The only reason I suggested it is because Barry _really_ needs something to keep him occupied. He's still pretty torn up about what happened with Kyle." Kenny paused and flipped through the pages of the staff list again. "Er, Kyle isn't on here, is he?"

"No, I hate Kyle," Drew said point-blank.

"Who _doesn't_ hate Kyle?" Zoey said as she passed by, grabbing a nearby chair from an empty table and joining the group.

"Zoey!" Dawn beamed.

"Nice to finally have you here," Drew added.

"Yeah, what took you?" Kenny asked.

"I was busy packing," Zoey explained. "I wanted to make sure I had enough time to come here and enjoy some coffee and conversation with you guys before my flight for Snowpoint City leaves this afternoon."

"Wait..." May's expression fell. "You're not staying? You're going back to Snowpoint? What about the campaign?"

"Ah..." Zoey hesitated. "I, actually, will not be joining you four on this venture."

"Why not?" Dawn asked.

"Previous commitments," Zoey answered shortly. "Snowpoint Academy will offer its first class for coordinators beginning in the fall, and I will be its teacher. I'm using the summer to design the curriculum."

"Wha-? Hey, that's pretty cool," Kenny conceded, though his tone lacked overt enthusiasm.

"Yeah," Dawn agreed, similarly concealing her disappointment. "It's just a shame we won't have you here with us."

Zoey waved it off, saying, "There are plenty of other people who can handle media relations, probably better than I can. I think it's great what you're doing, though, and I wish you the best of luck." She paused and glanced at the counter. "Anyway... I'm gonna grab a drink, and I'll let all of you resume what I can only assume was a very important conversation about how much we collectively dislike Kyle."

She slid out of her chair, and her companions exchanged glances. Drew clicked his tongue before he spoke.

"To answer your question, Kenny," he began, "I'm completely fine with Barry joining the staff if he's interested and available. Dawn, please get Candice's number so we can ask her for Conway's contact information. And feel free to write any other names and numbers of people who could fill those empty positions. Now, if you'll excuse me-"

He rose and followed Zoey. He found her in line, on her phone, and joined her.

"You know, I wouldn't have pegged you as a teacher," he casually started, and Zoey let out an annoyed breath, as though she had expected this to happen. "Interesting use of your journalism degree, for sure."

"Oh, like you were going to do anything relevant with political science until Contesta came along," Zoey scoffed.

"Exactly. Hence, why I'm surprised you'd pick _teaching_, of all things, over something you enjoy and are actually trained to do."

"You mean, you're surprised I'm picking Candice over you?" Zoey lightly mocked. "Because I could name a couple reasons."

"I am surprised." Drew played along, feigning a hurt expression. "Gee, Zoey, I thought we had something special."

"I'm sorry, Drew, but it just isn't going to work out. It's not meant to be; it never was meant to be." She sighed before adding, "In all seriousness, though—as much as I enjoy writing, freelancing for random news publications wasn't enough, and I turned down the position at Coordinators Weekly because I wasn't going to work for such a trashy tabloid. Besides, believe it or not, I'm looking forward to teaching this class. The say education is one of the most rewarding career fields. I mean, Cilan seems pretty into it, and your girlfriend's going to be teaching after she graduates next year."

"I'm not denying that education's great," Drew said calmly. "But it's not what you really want to do. Teaching is something you have to be passionate about, and May and Cilan are perfect fits for it. You? Maybe. But don't resort to it because you're struggling to get a stable job at a reputable news source. It's tough to break into journalism."

"Don't tell me what I do or don't want." Zoey rolled her eyes.

"This could be your in, Zoey."

"Hm, how many times have I heard that line from employers insisting me offering free clips would strengthen my résumé?"

"I can actually pay you, though," Drew persisted. "I know it's not reporting on the contest beat for The Hearthome Chronicle, but it is coordinator-related, and it is writing, and it is paid."

"It's also another temp job." Zoey shook her head. "Drew, I really do appreciate the offer. But you're going to have to get someone else to write your press releases."

It was her turn in line. She turned to to the cashier and politely said, "Tall with half-and-half, please."

The cashier smiled and rang her up. "That'll be $1.95."

Zoey turned to reach for her card, but Drew stopped her. "Let me get it," he said, pulling two bills out of his wallet and handing it to the cashier. "Keep the change."

Zoey appeared suspicious, but thanked him before the barista handed her drink to her. As soon as she and Drew returned to their table, May looked up at them from the potential staff list and spoke.

"You know who I realized is missing from this list?" she began. "Solidad and Harley! I can't find them anywhere."

"That's because I have other things in mind for them," Drew said, scooting in his chair, back toward the group. "I was thinking, to help kick-off the movement, that we hold a Q&A Panel with some popular Top Coordinators. I'd like Solidad and Harley to participate, along with maybe Robert Schemmel, Nando Libert, Dr. Abby Neill..."

"Ohh!" May's eyes widened, as did her smile. "That sounds great! Solidad and Harley would be perfect that kind of thing, and so would Robert and Nando and Abby."

"That is, if we can get them to agree," Drew said before turning an eye toward Dawn, who was smiling down at her Piplup as he happily gobbled up some Pokémon kibbles in her hand. "I'd like you to be on top of putting that together, Dawn."

Dawn straightened up and nodded before saying, "Sure! I'd love to do it."

"Did you get Candice's number, by the way?" Drew continued.

"Yes. I haven't called her yet, though," she replied. "Piplup was hungry."

"That's all right. I'll take care of it."

Zoey narrowed her gaze before taking a sip of her drink, eyeing Drew warily.

* * *

><p>Trip had always been particular about his workspace. Despite the hectic schedule he occasionally ran as the sole photographer for the Unova League, he kept his studio spotless. Not a thing was out of place, and if it was, it wouldn't stay that way for long. His lenses were organized by size and safely stowed away in the drawer of his desk, while his flashdrives full of vast collections of photographs were labeled and similarly organized. He never lost anything.<p>

Presently, Trip was performing some minor color correction on the photos he had taken Wednesday, before he would compress them in a .zip file and send them to Iris (and Cilan) for approval. They would publicly release a set of only fifteen or twenty, despite the hundreds he had on file.

Undoubtedly, Trip's favorite was the one he had aimed to obtain, the one that had potentially ended up saving Iris's life. In the back of his mind, he knew if he hadn't caught the Team Plasma Grunt trespassing, Iris could very well be dead. He tried not to think about that, though. Instead, he focused on the shadows that fell across her face in the still, on the light the filtered through the curtains, as he adjusted the contrast. This would definitely make the set.

Trip's concentration broke when his cell phone rang. He reached for it and checked the caller ID before answering.

"Hey, Ritchie," Trip greeted. "Doesn't your plane leave soon?"

"_Ash and I are actually about to leave for the airport,_" Ritchie answered. "_I wanted to ask you something, though. You said the other day that there's only one good cab service in Opelucid, and I can't remember the name._"

"Dividing Line Taxis," Trip said.

"_Do you have the number?_"

"Hang on." Trip minimized his photo editing program and pulled up an Internet browser. He typed 'Diving Line Taxis' in the search bar and found the company's site. "Do you have a pen and paper?" Trip heard some muffled conversation between Ash and Ritchie as one of them scrambled for a writing utensil. When Ritchie gave the OK, Trip slowly read the number, "(860)-555-9732," aloud.

"_All right! Got it. Thanks,_" Ritchie said after a moment.

"Okay. Have a nice flight. Call me when you get to Kanto."

"_Will do. Thanks again._"

After Ritchie hung up, Trip pressed his lips together and set the phone of to the side once more. He pulled up his photo editing program once again and decided he shouldn't tamper with it much longer. He didn't want to ruin the message he needed to deliver.

* * *

><p>Burgundy adjusted her blouse, re-tucking it into the waist of her pencil skirt. She then reached into her bag, pulled out a tube of red lipstick and, leaning over the bathroom sink toward the mirror, touched herself up. She smacked her lips and put the lipstick away before retrieving her phone to check the time. She didn't want to arrive early and seem anxious. Yet, it was 9:58 a.m., and she had agreed to meet Cilan at 10 a.m. It was time to get moving.<p>

She let out a huff and moved toward the door, pushing it open with her hip. Cilan's office was just down the hall, so she didn't have far to go. The Opelucid campus—one of three locations for the PCA in Unova, the original being in Striaton City and the other in Nimbasa City—was mostly empty, seeing as it was a Friday, and classes for the spring session had already ended while the summer session began in just under two weeks. Still, a few students lingered around campus for various reasons, herself included.

Burgundy, however, sucked in her breath when she noticed two connoisseuses in her path. They were they only other two females in her cohort of eleven A-Class Connoisseurs, ten of which had been accepted into the S-Class program. The two ladies noticed Burgundy, too, as she approached, though they said nothing. One looked smug; the other, whom Burgundy had always found more agreeable, appeared sympathetic. Burgundy refused them eye contact as she passed by, the sound of her heels puncturing the silence.

The door to Room 106 was already halfway open when she approached. She peered inside, and Cilan was sitting at his desk, working on his laptop. She tepidly knocked on the door to get his attention. He looked up.

"Burgundy." He smiled at her warmly. "Please, come in, sit down."

She kept her expression even as she walked inside and pulled out the extra chair, the one Cilan undoubtedly intended for his students. She took in her surroundings as she sat down, crossing one leg over the other. Against the wall rose a large bookcase, its shelves full of tightly compacted texts, many modern, a few of which were controversial and might be considered trash by more traditional-minded faculty. On his desk stood a framed photo of him and Iris on their wedding day.

"How are you?" Cilan asked amicably. "I feel it's been a while since we spoke face-to-face."

"You know, I'm just peachy," she answered, her voice strained.

Cilan frowned and sighed.

"Burgundy, I don't know what President Poltiere or some of the PCA Opelucid board members might have told you, though I imagine it hasn't been pleasant," he began. "Please know, this is not a punishment."

"Really," Burgundy said dryly.

"Yes."

"Okay."

Cilan knew he had still done nothing to convince her, but he smiled anyway and turned to retrieve a sheet of paper, printed front and back. He then handed it to her.

"This is the course syllabus," he explained. "It's for C-Class Connoisseurs, so the age range of students typically falls between 13 and 15, though we do see an occasional 16- or 17-year-old if they began pursuing Connoisseur ranks later than usual. I'm sure you remember a lot of the content, since you once took it, too."

Burgundy said nothing in response, though her eyes began to scan the page:

**EVA 201: The Role of Pokémon Natures in Trainer/Pokémon Relationships****  
><strong>Summer 2009 Session. Room 106. T/Th 10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

**Cilan Griffith, S-Class Connoisseur  
><strong>B.A. in Social and Behavioral Sciences, Striaton University  
>Office: Room 32; Phone: (860)-555-9714<br>Officer Hours: T/Th 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., by appointment

**Burgundy Myers, A-Class Connoisseuse**  
>B.A. in Liberal Studies, Digital Institute of Learning<p>

**Course Summary:**

Pokémon have personalities as complex and varied as humans. A Pokémon's Nature—that is, their personality—can drastically affect the way it performs in battle, making Nature an important factor in determining the compatibility between a trainer and Pokémon. This course will examine the wide range of Natures in Pokémon, equip students with the methods needed to identify a Pokemon's Nature, as well as explore the benefits and limitations of the theories behind matching Nature with trainers' battling preferences.

**Required Texts:**

_Pokémon Natures: Understanding Personality and Compatibility for Beginning Pokémon Connoisseurs_, Gerard M. Poltiere  
><em>The Symbiosis Between Pokémon and Humans<em>, Samuel H. Oak

All other course readings on the syllabus will be supplied by the instructor.

**Grading:**

_Possible Points:_

40 Daily Participation. Eight (8) points will be deducted for each absence following the third, excused or unexcused.  
>10 Personality Chart.<br>10 Nature Presentation.  
>15 Matching Project.<br>25 Final Evaluation of a Pokémon's Nature.

100 Points Total

_Grading Scale:_

**A** 90 - 100  
><strong>B<strong> 80 - 89  
><strong>C<strong> 70 - 79  
><strong>D<strong> 60 - 69  
><strong>F<strong> Below 60

**Attendance:**

Attendance is required for success. We will spend multiple class sessions testing new methods of evaluation and identifying a Pokémon's Nature in preparation for the final evaluation at the end of the semester, which students must pass in order to receive credit for the class. Students have up to three absences before their grade is affected.

**Course Schedule:**

_May 19_ Introduction; What is Nature?  
><em>May 21<em> Why does Nature matter?  
><em>May 26<em> Poltiere Chapter 2; The types of Natures  
><em>May 28<em> The types of Natures (cont.)

_June 2_ Poltiere Chapter 3; How Nature affects battling  
><em>June 4<em> The Six Stats of Pokémon" by Jonathon Willow; Correlations between Pokémon Stats and Nature  
><em>June 9<em> Poltiere Chapter 5; Methods of identifying Nature in Pokémon  
><em>June 11<em> Observation of Pokémon session  
><em>June 16<em> Which personality traits match each Nature?  
><em>June 18<em> Observation of Pokémon session; Personality Chart due  
><em>June 23<em> Oak Chapter 3; Battle styles of trainers and their Pokémon  
><em>June 25<em> What constitutes "style"  
><em>June 29<em> Observing the style of a trainer

_July 2_ "Nature and Battling Preferences: Why it Matters" by Melissa Betula  
><em>July 7<em> Observation of Pokémon session  
><em>July 9<em> Special Guest: Q&A with PCA President Gerard Poltiere  
><em>July 14<em> Observation of Pokémon session  
><em>July 16<em> Nature Presentations  
><em>July 21<em> Nature Presentations  
><em>July 23<em> Poltiere Chapter 7; Oak Chapter 5; Bridging differences in style and Nature  
><em>July 28<em> "Mending Bad Matches" by Alexander Clemens  
><em>July 30<em> Poltiere Chapter 8; Oak Chapter 7; Using Nature as a tool to strengthen Pokémon/Trainer relationships

_Aug 4_ "Does Theory Always Work? Separating Theory from Actual Practice" by Allana Sylvatica  
><em>Aug 6<em> Oak Chapter 10; The value of Pokémon/Trainer relationships over theory  
><em>Aug 11<em> Poltiere Chapter 11; Nature in the Context of Pokémon/Trainer relationships  
><em>Aug 13<em> When you know a match is right  
><em>Aug 18<em> Observation of Pokémon session  
><em>Aug 20<em> Observation of Pokémon session; Matching Project due  
><em>Aug 25<em> Review  
><em>Aug 27<em> Final Evaluation of a Pokémon's Nature

.

Burgundy pressed her lips together as she finished reading and set the paper down on her lap. She didn't expect Cilan to include her name on syllabus, though half of her wished he hadn't. Not only was she stuck at a lower rank, her degree in liberal studies from a free online institution like DIL paled into comparison to Cilan's accolades from the far more prestigious Striation University.

"If you're comfortable with it," Cilan started after a moment, "I would love to update the syllabus with your number, too, so students may contact you with questions. You're also free to join me during office hours for any that may decide to visit."

"I don't see what the point of that would be," Burgundy mumbled. "Why would anyone want to speak with the A-Class TA when they can talk to the S-Class professor?"

"I think you would be surprised," Cilan said. "You may find a lot of students appreciate your opinion or find you more relatable and accessible than myself. I believe your presence in the classroom will be a positive experience for both you and the students."

Burgundy frowned and pushed one of her curls out of her face.

"Well, I suppose I don't have a problem with it," she said, and Cilan retrieved a sticky note from inside his desk and a pencil. "My number's (860)-555-7278."

"I'll add it tonight, then," Cilan responded. He removed the sticky note from its pad and attached it to his laptop. "There's something else I have for you, by the way."

He stood and retrieved one of the books off his bookshelf, giving it to her. She turned it over in her hands, reading the spine. It was one of the more aged texts from his collection.

"This is Professor Oak's book, _The Symbiosis Between Pokémon and Humans_, " Cilan explained, and Burgundy resisted the temptation to say that she _knew_; she could read, too. "The director of curriculum does not require it for EVA 201, but I include it in the sections I teach. I think the core standards set forth by the PCA for this class focus too much on theory and don't account for the natural relationship Pokémon and humans form, despite minor incongruities in personality. The theory is important to understand of course, and the things President Poltiere writes in his text are of great value, too. But I think letting students read Oak's research adds another dimension of understanding."

He inclined his head toward her.

"I'm assuming you haven't read it before, though, have you?" he asked.

"No," Burgundy answered shortly. "I've read President Poltiere's book, though."

"I thought that would be the case," Cilan said. "I don't expect you to read the entirety of Oak's book prior to summer classes beginning, but it might be good to get a head start, so you can keep up with the students."

Burgundy hummed, nodding. She wasn't going to protest (as if she had the room to do it, anyway).

"I'll be sure to email you my lesson plans for the course tonight, too," Cilan added. "I spent the last few days modifying them to account for your presence as a co-teacher. You may spend the first few sessions observing, but I'm sure you'll become more active in the classroom as you grow more comfortable."

"Is that all then?" Burgundy asked flatly.

"Unless you have any questions for me, that is all," Cilan replied politely.

"I don't." Burgundy stood, slipping Oak's text into her bag. "Thank you. I'll see you in class May 19th."

"Take care of yourself until then," Cilan said as she headed for the door. "Goodbye. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Burgundy didn't look back as she headed back out into the hallway. The other women in her cohort were gone. She pulled her fingers through her hair and let out a frustrated sigh. She hated her situation. She hated that he was nice to her. Most of all, she hated that he was the only person nice to her in her situation.

* * *

><p>Iris didn't like her office, mostly because it didn't feel like hers. She had inherited it from Drayden four years earlier when he retired as the Opelucid City Gym Leader and passed the baton to her, but she hardly ever used it. It seemed too formal, too regal, to her tastes, and every time she stepped inside, she was reminded of when she was 15, when Alder and Drayden informed her in that same room that she would one day become the Unova Champion. She had conflicting feelings over the memory.<p>

Now she was 22, and she had become what they said she would be, but she didn't feel like the title belonged to her either.

Haxorus let out a contended noise as he fell forward onto a plush Pokémon bed near her desk. Iris giggled, watching him as she leaned over the polished wood. The cord leading the phone sitting atop her desk was visibly disconnected. Cilan had pulled the plug yesterday when the calls started coming. While the Unova League itself was well-regulated with a full professional staff, there was no one to manage her affairs as Champion. Leaf, Paul, and Wallace all had employees within their divisions of the G-Men whose job it was to do menial, though important tasks like sort letters, screen phone calls, oversee appointment scheduling, among other things. She had none, save maybe Trip, the closest she had to a media relations specialist, since he was in charge of releasing league-official stock to media outlets. He would scoff if she called him such, though, and would remind her that he was simply her photographer.

In short, she and Cilan were completely unprepared for the wave of people wanting to speak with her following Wednesday's incident. The moment he disconnected the phone, she knew she would need to follow Paul and Leaf's advice and start a G-Men unit, not only for herself, but for him as well. She was simply unhappy it had to come to that.

"Is your Haxorus a pet, or is it an actual threat?" Iris nearly jumped when she heard Paul's voice behind her. "I really can't tell."

She spun around to see the Sinnoh Champion looking at her with a deadpan expression. He had a small, thin white box in his hands. Her Haxorous lifted his head when he heard his name mentioned, watching the two.

"Geez, Paul, you scared me," Iris breathed. "You're too tall to sneak up on me like that, especially with what happened Wednesday."

"Sorry?" Paul craned an eyebrow. "You do realize your husband is over 6'0", too, right?"

"Cilan is thin and weak and not a threat. I could bring him to his knees if I wanted."

"I think you already did, three years ago." He paused before adding, "I brought you something."

He passed the white box along to her, and she accepted it. She turned it over in her hands, looking at it curiously.

"Don't worry, it's nothing that could hurt you. I don't know whether Cilan told you, but Angela has been sifting through your mail to make sure there's nothing dangerous being sent to you, or no threatening letters from Team Plasma," Paul said.

"He did." Iris nodded. "And?"

"Nothing so far. There's been a lot of support for you, in fact."

Iris's bottom lip twitched into a smile. She didn't expect she would get support, but it was a relief to hear she had it.

"Well, you know it's a good day when someone isn't trying to kill you via the Unova Postal System," she said. She then held up the box and asked, "So what's this, then?"

"It's from Diantha, the Champion of the league in Kalos, Napaj's closest ally," Paul answered. "She also sent both Leaf and I things after our inaugurations."

Iris raised her eyebrows and decided not to delay it any longer. She removed the white lid and was surprised to see a necklace nestled in the cotton padding. She delicately slipped two fingers beneath the silver chain and lifted it up, admiring the pendant attached at the end: A strangely translucent pearl that cast brilliant rainbows from the sunlight of her window. Diantha must have known she specialized in Dragon-types, as the pearl was set between a silverpiece that was cut suspiciously like a Noivern's wings.

"So, you and Leaf have something like this, too?" Iris asked, looking back at Paul. He nodded.

"Diantha left a card, too," he said, reaching into his back pocket and handing to her. She set the box aside on her desk to accept it.

"Thank you," she said. She carefully laid the pendant in its jewelry box again and put it and the letter in her desk. "I'll have to read it later. I'm guessing there are more important things you'd rather be talking about right now."

"You guess right."

Iris let out a breath.

"You know," she began, "it's really underhanded to use my husband against me, to get me to go along with your and Leaf's plans."

"Cilan wouldn't have agreed to talk to you unless he genuinely thought we were right." Paul shrugged. "We didn't have to sit down and convince him. The three of us knew we would have to sit down and convince _you_."

"Well, I guess you succeeded, then," Iris said, and Paul turned his head, suspicious.

"You are willing to start a G-Men branch in Unova?" he asked.

"Yes." It frustrated Iris to agree. "But on my terms."

"They being?"

"I don't directly oversee it like you and the others," she answered. "I want someone else to do it. That person would obviously still answer to me, but... they're the one who manages all the agents and G-Men-related business. My focus is the league. That's the way it should be, isn't it?"

"It is," Paul conceded. "I'm fine with it."

"You... You are?" Iris was half-expecting that she would need to spar with him to get her way.

"It will make it easier if and when we try to restructure the Napajian government," he said. "You and I could write a job description tonight and use it to recruit someone. Do you want to hire from inside the G-Men or outside?"

"I... guess I'm fine with it either way," Iris hesitated. "I thought it might be nice if we could send some kind of notice to the smaller police departments throughout the regions and let people apply."

"We can do that," Paul said. "One of my agents can compile the contact information for every city police department, and we can ask Leaf and Wallace if they'd be willing to spread the news inside their divisions. Do you have paper and something to write with? Let's get this job description done."

He brushed past Iris and moved behind her desk. He opened up one of the drawers to look for the aforementioned writing utilities.

"So this is happening right now?" she asked. Strands of disbelief were threaded through her voice.

Paul straightened up, having found what he needed.

"This is what I'm here for," he said simply.

* * *

><p>"Hello, welcome to Opelucid City Airport," one of the several PokéAirlines receptionists greeted Zoey when it was her turn in line. "How may I help you?"<p>

"Hi," Zoey began, sliding her ID across the counter. "I'm Zoey Williams, and I'd like to pick up my plane ticket to Snowpoint City."

"Of course," the receptionist said, smiling as he took Zoey's ID. "Do you have any baggage you need to check?"

"Nothing," Zoey answered. "I only have a carry-on."

"Okay, then just wait one moment for me to print your ticket." Zoey waited and watched as the receptionist typed in Zoey's name on her ID. She became alarmed however when the receptionist furrowed his eyebrows and said, "I'm sorry, Ms. Williams, but it appears you cancelled your hold on the ticket to Snowpoint City today."

"What?"

"Your purchase was cancelled earlier this afternoon," the receptionist repeated.

"I didn't-" Zoey stopped short, as an image of her credit card—the one she had used to purchase her tickets—sitting on her wardrobe back home in Snowpoint City flashed across her mind.

"Excuse me?" the receptionist politely inquired.

"Never mind," Zoey said, gritting her teeth. "Can I repurchase the ticket?"

"I'm afraid the flight has since been filled," he apologized. "The next flight to Snowpoint City leaves tomorrow at 4 p.m."

"Tomorrow?!"

"Yes. I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience," the receptionist said, frowning.

"It's..." Zoey trailed off, trying to maintain her composure. "Thank you."

She grabbed her bag and stormed away before reaching into her pocket and furiously dialing a number. The person on the end of the line picked up right away.

"_Need a ride?_" Drew's said without any greeting, a touch of smugness in his voice. "_I rented a car this afternoon. I can make that happen._"

"You're a real son of a bitch, Drew Hayden," Zoey seethed. "You're paying for my next flight out of here."

"_Hey, if you're going to be mad at anyone, be mad at Candice. She's the one who cancelled your flight,_" Drew replied coolly, washing himself of guilt. "_I only asked her to convince you to stay when I called her. She came up with the idea to trap you at the airport on her own, and she hung up before I could say anything about it._"

"That doesn't change that you knew about it and didn't tell me. Does 'no' mean anything to you?"

"_Of course it does. I didn't want it to go this far, but Candice will be Candice, right?_"

Zoey emitted a low growl.

"I'll deal with you later," she said, pressing "end" on the call. She immediately dialed another number.

"_Hey, Zoe-Zoe,_" Candice said, picking up after a couple rings.

"Don't 'Zoe-Zoe' me," Zoey sassed. "You know that credit card on my dresser that has _my_ name on it? Yeah, it's really not cool to use it to cancel my flights without my permission."

"_Look, I know you're mad, and I'm sorry,_" Candice started, "_but when Drew called and told me what you were turning down... I knew I just had to do something! I knew you wouldn't listen with you headed to the airport, so I had to make sure the flight was out of the way. Zoey, you have to do this. You have to accept Drew's offer!_"

"That's not your call to make," Zoey said. "I need the summer to plan for the class at Snowpoint Academy."

"_Zoey, you teaching was a fallback_," Candice reminded. "_I know you were frustrated after what happened with Coordinators Weekly, but... come on! This is a killer opportunity._"

"PR is not my specialty, and this is largely what that is," Zoey retorted.

"_I know you could do it. So does Drew._"

"What about the class?"

"_Forget the class, Zoey. If you're that bent on teaching, we can push it to the Spring 2010 or even the Fall 2010 semester_," Candice said. "_I have feeling this'll be exactly what you need to jumpstart your journalism career, though. Working media relations for would for a campaign that would put contests in Unova? Having Drew Hayden, a two-time Top Coordinator, as a reference? Showing you have those kind of connections with the APC would for sure land you the contest beat at a real newspaper._"

Zoey was silent for a long moment, considering Candice's words. She fiddled with the handle of her carry-on and realized something.

"I don't have the means to stay out here," she said. "I need to go back to Snowpoint anyway."

"_I'll ship you some things. It's no big deal; I'm sure Dawn and Kenny are having the same done for them,_" Candice said. "_If you come back here, I know you'll stay._"

Zoey let out an exasperated sigh. Now she was completely out of excuses.

"... I'm still mad at you," she finally said.

"_I can live with that,_" Candice replied cheerily, delighted Zoey had given in, "_because I know you'll thank me later. Also because I know you're going to lash out at Drew and not me._"

Zoey scoffed before adding, "I'll talk to you later."

"_For sure! Knock 'em dead, Zoe-Zoe! Love ya!_"

"Yeah, okay. Love you too."

After she hung up, Zoey dragged herself to a nearby bench and sat down. Her face fell into her hand, her thumb rubbing her temple. Yet, the makings of a smile spread across her face as she lifted her phone once more and dialed a number.

"_Yes, Zoey?_" Drew answered after a brief delay.

Zoey huffed and said nothing for a moment, but Drew was patient. Then, swallowing her pride, she said, "So... about that ride?"

_**May 8th, 2009. Early Evening. Viridian City.**_

"Is it typical for this many people to show up to a thesis defense?" Leaf asked, leaning against the podium as her boyfriend was finishing up some last-minute preparations for his presentation. The classroom, a small fifty-seat lecture hall at the esteemed Viridian University, was brimming with people, though the defense was still about ten minutes away from beginning.

"No," Gary answered shortly. "It's usually just the thesis committee and maybe a couple friends or family members. I don't recognize most of the people here."

"Maybe they thought they were coming to see Professor _Samuel_ Oak and not his grandson," Leaf suggested wryly.

"Or they came to see how I would measure up," Gary muttered bitterly. He plugged his data drive into the computer and loaded up his PowerPoint.

"Well, take comfort in the fact that at least the whole first row is cheering for you."

Gary flicked his gaze up and couldn't help but smirk. His thesis team—which comprised two tenured faculty at the university, both of whom had once taught him in their classes, and an adjunct professor, the famous Pokémon researcher, Bill Blaustein—were seated directly in front of the screen. There were many other familiar faces, however: his grandfather, Ms. Ketchum, Tracey, Daisy, Brock, Misty... Even Professor Rowan had come to support his former intern. Ritchie and Ash had yet to arrive, though Gary knew both were coming.

"All the more pressure to do well, right?" he said lightheartedly.

"If all else fails, just smile and look handsome," Leaf said.

"If only dashing looks got you degrees."

"Don't they? How would you have earned your undergrad otherwise?"

"Go sit down."

Meanwhile, Ash and Ritchie finally arrived, both surprised by the volume of people in the classroom.

"Wow," Ritchie remarked. "You'd think we'd come to see an event speaker with all these people here, and not a student trying to pass his thesis."

"Gary's always been super popular, I guess," Ash said. Pikachu looked around the room before perking up and crying out, "Pikachu-Pi!" He jumped down from Ash's shoulder and scurried across the floor, coming to a halt in front of Misty.

Misty let out a laughing before lifting him up.

"Hi Pikachu," she said, rubbing the top of his head as she set him on her lap. "It's only been a day—have you really missed me that much?"

Ash cautiously approached. Ritchie let out a sigh and followed.

"How was your flight?" Misty asked politely when they came.

"It was okay," Ash answered, shrugging. A prolonged silence ensued, and Ritchie and Brock exchanged exasperated glances. Delia also cast a concerned look their way. Pikachu felt as though he had caused a disturbance, and he folded his ears back before wriggling his way out of Misty's grasp and leaping back onto Ash's shoulder.

"Well," Ritchie broke into the conversation (or lack thereof), clicking his tongue, "it looks Gary's going to start soon, so we should go find a seat. I'm sure we'll... talk more afterward."

He pulled Ash away, moving up the stairs toward one of the middle rows, which had a couple of empty seats. Leaf, who had watched the incident unfold, sauntered back to the group and reclaimed her seat beside Misty.

"You two are ridiculous," she laughed, and Misty looked annoyed.

"Excuse me, Madam Champion, but you're the one who asked me and the other E4s to 'maintain strict adherence to the impartiality clause' after the conference," Misty reminded. "I wouldn't intentionally make things between Ash and I awkward."

"Oh, I know," Leaf replied. "And I appreciate it, especially since I also know you have a history of breaking the impartiality clause."

"Once. And you didn't seem to care when it happened."

"I didn't." Leaf shrugged. "But now I have to with Ash posed to take us on, and with the disaster that was the Silver Conference. I promise you can make out with Ash as much as you want after he gets through the Elite Four battles—if he gets through them."

Brock chuckled, and Misty turned bright red and hissed, "Leaf, his mother is sitting a couple seats away."

"Whatever." Leaf waved it off. "There's so much talking going on that she can't hear us."

But she did. Delia pretended she hadn't, but she had to bite down a smile.

One of the professors rose from his seat and turned to the crowd, declaring in a booming voice, "Hello! Thank you all for coming today. We ask that you please be seated now and end all side conversations so Mr. Oak may begin."

His request quickly quelled the noise, and those who were still standing shuffled to their seats. Gary took in a cleansing breath.

"Thank you, Dr. Bennes." Gary came out from behind his podium, ready. "Hello, for you unfamiliar faces in the room, my name is Gary Oak, and I'm a master's student in the paleontology program at Viridian University," he began, introducing himself. "Last year, I studied abroad at Mauville University in Hoenn after researchers discovered multiple Root Fossils in the area. These fossils were revived into Lileep using Silph's technology, and that is when I and a team of other Pokémon researchers began studying them. This set of Lileep were of particular interest to us because two of the six revived were infected with an ancient virus strain unlike anything we see circulating among Pokémon today. This virus is the focus of my thesis."

He pressed his clicker, moving to the first slide: a profile photograph of a Lileep.

"To give some background: Lileep originally existed more than 100 million years ago on the ocean floor as a dual Water- and Grass-type," he explained. "Within in the past twenty years, using Silph's technology, we have successfully revived hundreds of fossils for many different ancient Pokémon. The modern, revived Lileep differs from its ancestors in that it is a Rock- and Grass-type, a limitation of the technology that is still in development. Yet, with successful breeding programs throughout the regions, we estimate there are approximately eighty living Lileep today, including the six revived in Hoenn last year.

"There was something intriguing about this particular set of Lileep, however, when the team I worked with began studying them. Two of the six were unusually aggressive for the species and were anxious to battle with each other and the other four Lileep. We already know from years of research that Pokémon genuinely enjoy battling and that it's common and healthy for Pokémon to want to engage in friendly battles with other Pokémon, even in the wild. But these two Lileep wanted to battle more often than what we consider normal. Over the span of fifteen days, our team counted how many times each Lileep—which we labeled A, B, C, D, E, and F—would proposition another Lileep for battle in one day. On average, Lileep A, B, C, and D—the four unaggressive Lileep—would want to battle once a day. The two aggressive Lileep, E and F, however, averaged five times a day.

"E and F were eventually separated from A, B, C, and D for individual study after E and F's aggression became cumbersome to the other four. It was during this time that a doctor on the team tested these Lileep and found they were, in fact, 'sick' with a virus unknown to modern Pokémon doctors. For lack of a formal name, I will call it Virus X. We believe E and F already carried Virus X when they were revived, and that this virus was revived with them."

He moved to the next slide, an artist's rendering of Virus X's structure. Tracey Sketchit's name was signed in the corner.

"In my personal observations," Gary continued, "I noted that Virus X was unusual in that it did not inhibit E and F, nor did it seem to cause either pain. Moreover, when I looked back at the team's notes from when we were counting how often the Lileep would proposition each other for a battle, I found that, without fail, E and F would win against A, B, C, and D every time they would battle. E and F were more evenly matched against one another. This could have been dismissed as more training simply yielding more victories—that is, since E and F would battle more often than A, B, C, and D, they were more experienced battlers, hence their perfect records against A, B, C, and D—but I wasn't so sure. So, I formed the hypothesis that it was Virus X that not only made E and F more aggressive, but also stronger than A, B, C, and D."

The next slide featured a table labeled "Willow's Base Attack Powers."

"In 1973, Pokémon Researcher Jonathon Willow published a paper titled, 'The Six Stats of Pokémon,' in which he divided Pokémon's power into six categories: Health, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. Around the same time, he developed a measuring system for the attack power of different Pokémon moves. For example, we know that Tackle has a base attack power of 35, while Flamethrower has a base attack power of 95."

Gary pointed to the table as he said this; both examples were listed.

"Generally, the base attack power of moves does not change. Tackle will always have a base attack power of 35. Yet, Willow's six stats accounts for differences in the level of damage any given attack causes. The physical move Tackle, though it only has a base attack power of 35, has the potential to yield greater damage if the user has a high Attack stat. Similarly, an opponent may be more resistant to the damage caused by Tackle if it has a high Defense stat. Of course, there are also other factors like type advantage and disadvantages, as well as a Pokémon's Nature.

"So, to determine the stat value of Attack and Special Attack moves, Willow used he called a _Quietus Patella_, or 'neutral plate.' The neutral plate eliminates type advantages and disadvantages from the equation, and it has the Defense and Special Defense stat equivalent of 80. By letting a Pokémon attack the plate, we can determine its Attack or Special Attack stats using his formula.

"Of course, we acknowledge that Willow's formula is not perfect, as it cannot account for random factors that also go into the damage caused by a Pokémon attack, but most modern Pokémon researchers still recognize it as a way to effectively measure the Attack and Special Attack power of any given Pokémon. To begin testing my hypothesis that Virus X was the cause of E and F's increased effectiveness in battle, I used Wilson's neutral plates to determine the Attack and Special Attack power of the Lileep."

The next slide contained his results:

**Attack and Special Attack Calculations of Lileep (Test 1)**

**Lileep A**  
>Attack: 42<br>Sp. Attack: 57

**Lileep B**  
>Attack: 43<br>Sp. Attack: 49

**Lileep C**  
>Attack: 39<br>Sp. Attack: 55

**Lileep D**  
>Attack: 43<br>Sp. Attack: 52

**Lileep E**  
>Attack: 62<br>Sp. Attack: 71

**Lileep F**  
>Attack: 59<br>Sp. Attack: 75

"All six Lileep knew the Attack move, Astonish, and the Special Attack move, Energy Ball," Gary went on. "By using the neutral plates and allowing each of the six Lileep to attack it with Astonish, I was able to calculate the Attack stat of each Pokémon. I was able to do the same with the Special Attack stat with the Lileep's Energy Ball. Astoundingly, the divide in stats between the uninfected A, B, C, and D Lileep and the infected E and F Lileep was huge. The range for the Attack stat was 23, while the range for the Special Attack stat was 26.

"My next step was then to determine whether it was Virus X causing this increased power in E and F, or if it was merely by virtue of them battling more. To do this, I obtained permission to purposefully infect Lileep A with Virus X and observe its behavioral changes as well as any increase in its Attack and Special Attack stats. Amazingly, after only one day of testing positive for Virus X, Lileep A began showing similar aggressiveness to E and F when we first began our research. As before, it began challenging the other Pokémon to battles more often. We immediately isolated A to deprive it of the opportunity of battling and thereby close off the possibility that stat changes were caused by greater experience gained from more battles, and not by Virus X. After one week, I tested all six Lileep again and calculated their stats.

A second set of results appeared on the slide:

**Attack and Special Attack Calculations of Lileep (Test 2)**

**Lileep A**  
>Attack: 58 (+16)<br>Sp. Attack: 69 (+12)

**Lileep B**  
>Attack: 43 (+0)<br>Sp. Attack: 49 (+0)

**Lileep C**  
>Attack: 39 (+0)<br>Sp. Attack: 55 (+0)

**Lileep D**  
>Attack: 43 (+0)<br>Sp. Attack: 52 (+0)

**Lileep E**  
>Attack: 63 (+1)<br>Sp. Attack: 74 (+3)

**Lileep F**  
>Attack: 63 (+4)<br>Sp. Attack: 75 (+0)

"The amount of growth Lileep A showed after being infected with the virus was simply unfathomable," Gary said. "It grew a combined total of _28 points_ in Attack and Special Attack after only one week of testing positive for Virus X. E and F also showed some minor growth, each gaining a combined total of 4 points. Meanwhile, the unaffected Lileep B, C, and D showed no growth.

"I was amazed, as were my colleagues. I had to see if my results could be replicated. I again obtained permission to purposefully infect one of the unafflicted Lileep with Virus X. After Lileep B tested positive for Virus X, it, just like A, began showing more aggressive behavior and was also isolated. After yet another additional week, I performed my final test using Willow's neutral plates:"

**Attack and Special Attack Calculations of Lileep (Test 3)**

**Lileep A**  
>Attack: 60 (+2)<br>Sp. Attack: 70 (+1)

**Lileep B**  
>Attack: 55 (+12)<br>Sp. Attack: 63 (+14)

**Lileep C**  
>Attack: 39 (+0)<br>Sp. Attack: 55 (+0)

**Lileep D**  
>Attack: 43 (+0)<br>Sp. Attack: 52 (+0)

**Lileep E**  
>Attack: 64 (+1)<br>Sp. Attack: 75 (+1)

**Lileep F**  
>Attack: 63 (+0)<br>Sp. Attack: 77 (+2)

"Yet again, the newly infected Lileep showed great growth; Lileep B gained a total of 26 points in its Attack and Special Attack stats. A, E, and F also showed growth, with E and F each gaining a total of 2 points and A gaining a total of 3. Once more, the unaffected C and D showed no growth. These results suggest that Virus X is indeed the cause of the increased aggression and and increased strength in the infected Lileep. After infection, the Lileep have a sharp spike in growth that quickly tapers off into small, but consistent growth. Growth for the unaffected, however, is slow in comparison.

The implications for a stat-increase 'virus' are incredible and could revolutionize the way we train and raise Pokémon. Although I have since left Mauville City in Hoenn, I am happy to report that the four infected Lileep, A; B; E; and F, are healthy, and their increased rate of growth has thus far shown no drawbacks. More research will need to conducted about the origins of the virus and how it is spread, and I hope to be a part of those projects."

Gary exhaled. He was nearing the end of his presentation.

"Thank you all for your time. I would like to now turn the time over to my thesis committee for questions," he concluded.

An applause broke, and Gary couldn't help but smile. He moved back to the podium and closed his PowerPoint before reaching for his water bottle. He had talked for quite a while. When he looked up, he saw the beaming face of his girlfriend, as well as his own grandfather. Everyone else seemed proud, too.

He set his water bottle down. Now came the hard part. He needed to answer his committee's questions.

Professor Bennes once again quieted the crowd. Gary stood in a suspended silence, waiting for the first one to speak.

"Might I say, Mr. Oak," Bill began, "that this research is simply amazing, and you should be quite proud of yourself. I daresay I haven't seen anything quite like this in my 20 years of research."

"Thank you, Dr. Blaustein," Gary said tacitly.

"I agree," the other professor, Dr. Yvette, added.

"As do I," Professor Bennes said. "I do, however, have some questions."

Gary nodded. He would have expected no less. Although Professor Bennes was one of his favorite professors at Viridian University, he was also one of his toughest.

"Fire away," Gary invited.

* * *

><p>"It's going to be fine, Gary," Leaf assured him as they, plus the rest of the crowd who had come to see Gary present, stood waiting in the hallway.<p>

The Q&A session with the committee had lasted a little more than hour, less than average, and he wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad sign. Now the committee was meeting behind closed doors to determine one of four options: (A) Accept the thesis with no revisions; (B) Require minor revisions; (C) Require major revisions; (D) Reject the thesis and force him to withdraw from the program. Most of the people whom Gary hadn't known personally had left, leaving him with his closest supporters.

"In my head, I know you're right," Gary replied, "but it's still a little nerve-wracking."

"I can't imagine they'll do anything but pass you, Gary," his grandfather said.

"Yes," Professor Rowan added, stroking his chin. "I've seen many thesis defenses over time, and yours was exceptional."

"Yeah, they have to pass you," Ash jumped into the conversation. "You sounded really smart up there. I don't think I've ever heard you talk like that before."

"Did you even understand anything I said?" Gary asked, smirking.

"I got that, uh, Virus X makes Lileep stronger," Ash answered hopefully.

"Eh, that's all you really need to know." Gary shrugged.

The door the the classroom opened, and Dr. Yvette poked her head outside.

"Mr. Oak?" she inquired. "We're ready for you."

"Thank you, Dr. Yvette," he said, straightening.

She propped the door open and headed back to her seat in the front row. The crowd of supporters slowly trickled back into their seats, too, and Gary returned to the front of the classroom. As soon as everyone settled, Dr. Bennes was the first to speak.

"Mr. Oak," he began simply, "after consulting with Dr. Yvette and Dr. Blaustein, we have agreed to _pass_ your thesis—" A happy breath swept across the room, and Gary appeared relieved. "—with no revisions. Thank you for your hard work, and congratulations."

Gary's thanks to his committee was lost in the noise, as he was nearly rushed by his friends and family.

"Congratulations, Garebear," Leaf said, kissing his cheek.

"See, what I tell ya?" Ash teased. "I knew you were gonna pass!"

"Excellent work, Gary," Brock said, giving him a pat on the back.

"Yeah, you deserve it," Ritchie added.

"It's obvious you worked really hard," Misty said. "Congratulations."

"I didn't understand half of what you said, but yay! You passed!" Daisy beamed at him.

"That was amazing, Gary," Tracey complimented. "I'm so happy for you."

"Your parents would be so proud," Delia gushed.

"_I'm_ so proud," Professor Oak said.

Gary quickly grew overwhelmed by the warm attention, and he broke into a rare grin as he threw his arms over the shoulders of Leaf and Ash.

"Thank you all," he said. "Couldn't have done it without you guys. Really. Now, I haven't eaten since lunch, so I'm thinking we ought to find a nice restaurant in the area—one that serves alcohol." He pulled Ash closer to him, looking at him slyly. "I'll even let you and Misty come if you promise to stop being so weird around each other."

Misty glared, and Ash appeared flustered, but before either could respond, the group was approached by a stranger.

"Mr. Oak?" the stranger inquired, gaining Gary's attention. He was ghostly pale with blond hair that he had slicked back and amber, feline-like eyes. Gary dropped his arms back to his side, straightening up.

"Yes?" he responded.

"If you wouldn't mind, I would love to ask you a couple questions about your thesis that weren't addressed in the Q&A session," the stranger said. "You see, I am also in Pokémon research. When I heard the grandson of the great Professor Oak was here tonight, I simply had to stop by, and I can't say I'm disappointed."

"Sure." Gary was surprised but willing. "What would you like to know?"

The stranger's lips curved into a sly kind of smile. Brock nudged Ash in the side and motioned for him and the others to follow him, to leave Gary and the stranger alone.

"At the end of your presentation," he began smoothly, "you said you felt Virus X had great potential for changing the way we raise Pokémon. How so?"

"Well..." Gary thought about his answer. "I elaborate on it more in the implications section of my written thesis, but I believe there's a lot of ways you could look at it. I think a lot of trainers would be very interested in something that could potentially boost their Pokémon's power. I also think it's a window to exploring how Pokémon grow and how they become stronger. My only concern is the aggression the Lileep showed while infected. They were less manageable than the 'healthy' Lileep. The impact of Virus X on the relationship between humans and Pokémon still needs to be researched, as does the aggression itself and why Virus X causes the aggression."

"You don't know why Virus X causes the aggression?" the stranger asked.

"At this point, no," Gary answered. "We're not entirely sure why Virus X causes the sharp growth in stats, either, just that it does. It's not be the first viral pathogen to modify the behavior of its host, but it is the first to _strengthen_ the host. I am optimistic, though, since the Lileep showed no signs of pain."

"Another question: How is it that Lileep E and F were able to A, B, C and D at the beginning of your research without infecting one another?" the stranger asked.

"We still are foggy about how the virus spreads without our intervention. One theory is that the viral pathogen increasing the host's aggression is the pathogen's method of spreading. More battles means increased physical contact and therefore increased chance for spreading. Shot in the dark, it may simply be that the physical build of Lileep hinders the ability to spread."

"What do you mean?"

"No teeth, no infected bite wounds." Gary shrugged. "Lileep prey on others using their tentacles, and those tentacles may be ineffective in the spread of Virus X. I personally don't think Virus X is endemic to Lileep; it could very well affect other Pokémon or even humans, hence the interest in the stat-boosting abilities of Virus X as potentially marketable on a large scale."

"Virus X is zoonotic?"

"It's an untested hypothesis," Gary clarified. "The low spreadability of Virus X among Lileep without intervention, however, suggests that Virus X came from another species, which would make it zoonotic."

"Interesting..." the stranger mused. "Then, you do believe that if a Pokémon today were infected with Virus X, it would experience the same growth in stats?"

Gary flinched.

"Well, possibly, but I should make it clear that Virus X should not be tested on modern Pokémon yet," he said. "If Virus X was indeed revived along with Lileep, that means it would be more than 100 million years old, too. We really don't have any idea how the immune system of a modern Pokémon would handle Virus X. We want to learn what in Virus X causes the stat boosts and apply that to modern Pokémon, not infect modern Pokémon with Virus X. The Lileep have the contemporary immunity for it; modern Pokémon don't."

"I see. Thank you," the stranger said. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry; I was so caught up in asking you questions that I failed to introduce myself. My name is Elijah. As I said before, I'm in the field of Pokémon research, like you. I work for an organization called SAMPLe."

"SAMPLe?"

"It's a Pokémon welfare organization," Elijah elaborated. "At SAMPLe, we adhere to the three Rs: Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Research. We rescue injured Pokémon, both in the wild and from abusive trainers, and nurse them to health. We also conduct extensive research about the rehabilitation of Pokémon. I specialize in researching how to bring out the true power of Pokémon in our rehabilitation efforts, hence my interest in your thesis."

"Wow, sounds great," Gary replied. "I have to admit, I've never heard of it before."

"We're a start-up. We're still working on obtaining more funding for our research."

"Well, good luck."

"Thank you, Mr. Oak." Elijah bowed his head slightly, before reaching to shake Gary's hand. "Best of luck to you, too. And congratulations."

After Elijah left, Leaf returned to retrieve her boyfriend.

"So are you still up for dinner, or are you going to spending the entire night here basking in your success?" she asked.

He smirked and replied, "Please, I'm going to be basking in success all night anyway. I would prefer if I did it over dinner, though, especially if there's a side of Leafy Greens later on in the evening."

"Shut up."

_**May 8th, 2009. Late Evening. Opelucid City.**_

"What're you working on?" Iris asked as she slid into bed next to Cilan, who had his computer out and open on his lap. Paul had only left perhaps an hour earlier, after they had hammered out some of the logistics for the new Unovan branch of the G-Men. Cilan had stopped by to greet her when he arrived home, and he also brought them dinner, but he otherwise left them undisturbed.

"A couple minor readjustments to the syllabus," he answered. "Burgundy agreed to let me print her number on it."

"Oh, that's right—how did your meeting go?" she asked.

"As you might expect," Cilan replied truthfully. "She's very upset."

"I would be, too, if I were her."

Cilan said nothing in response, leaving the conversation hanging. Iris rolled her eyes before stretching her legs out, laying on her side, and propping her head up on the palm of her hand. It wasn't long before Cilan noticed her lazy, half-lidded gaze.

"Don't give me that look," he said, without turning his head.

"What look?" Iris asked innocently, rolling over to lay on her belly. She lifted her legs up at the knees and crossed them at the ankles.

"You know very well what I mean," he replied, now looking at her. "Iris, it's past 10 p.m."

"So what? You'd stay up 'till 1 a.m. working if I didn't stop you." She lowered her voice and flirtatiously added, "Besides, I expect better of you. What gentleman would ever refuse his lady pleasure?"

Cilan let out a quick breath of disbelief, but his lips twitched into a smile. He abruptly shut his laptop and placed it on his nightstand. He then pulled off his glasses and also set them aside. Iris watched this unfold with a satisfied expression, lacing her fingers together and resting her chin on them. She sat up when he turned toward her again, laying his hands on top of hers and greeting her with a long, drawn-out kiss.

"You know, Ms. Ajagara," he began after breaking away, leaning his forehead against hers, "for someone who claims they do not have a way with words, you are quite convincing."

"Well, it probably helps that this is a mutually beneficial tryst."

He laughed and raised a hand to her shoulder as he pressed his lips to her neck, just beneath her jawline. Iris's breath hitched; he knew her well.

"That it does," he murmured against her skin. He moved to kiss her again, and she matched his efforts. Her hands trailed down the sides of his face before her arms wound around his neck, and she pulled him closer to her.

* * *

><p>"Oh, look at this one!" Dawn exclaimed, picking up her laptop from the hotel room's desk and moving toward Paul. She sat next to him on the bed, and he cast her screen a glance to humor her. He quickly returned to his work on his own laptop, however.<p>

"It's a three-month lease, renewable, and rent is $800 per month," Dawn continued. "It's not that far from the Opelucid City Gym, either. Definitely within walking distance."

"Sounds great," Paul mumbled. "The last three you showed me all sounded great, too."

"I'm just trying to explore our options," Dawn said tacitly. "I would love to hear more input from you."

"Go with the one you just suggested, then," Paul said. "It'll save cab fare."

Dawn breathed out. She supposed she shouldn't have expected much.

"Okay," she said. "I'll call the landlord tomorrow morning and say we're interested."

She saved the listing in her bookmarks before shutting her laptop down. She stood up again and stored it in her bag back on the desk. She then turned to face Paul, who was still typing, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Are you all right?" she asked, folding her arms.

"I don't see why I wouldn't be."

"You seem very stressed."

"_No_."

"There's no need to get sarcastic." She sat beside him on the bed once more. "I'm just concerned, that's all. You... like to have things under control. You work and train hard to make sure you have things under control, and when things go awry like they did at Iris's inauguration, you get really stressed out."

"Your point?"

"I just..." She moved closer to him and hesitated before reaching to touch his shoulder. "I think you need to take a moment to breathe."

Paul stopped, their gazes connecting as her fingers moved to trail down his spine. Then, he opened his mouth and said, "Not tonight, Dawn."

Dawn pulled her hand away.

"Well," she began calmly, though there was disappointment evident in her tone, "it was just a suggestion." She paused before adding, "Don't stay up too late. I hate to see you drive yourself into the ground."

She turned the light off on her side of the bed and slipped beneath the covers. Paul watched her for a long moment before shutting his laptop, setting it on the ground, and turning off his light. Yet, he flipped on his side, away from her, when he laid down. Dawn sighed inaudibly, closed her eyes, and raised a hand to rub her temple.

_**May 9th, 2009. Middle of the night. New Bark Town.**_

Lyra jerked awake when she heard a noise downstairs, and her breath caught. She threw her sheets off her and quickly slipped into her night robe before hurrying down the stairs of her apartment. Her living room was empty, so she moved onto the kitchen. Sure enough, Silver was there, pouring himself a glass of ice water.

Her first instinct was to throw her arms around him, to tell him how much she had missed him. She stopped herself, however, and the moment of restraint cleared away her affections and let the anger beneath her skin simmer.

"You know, it would be super nice if you would give me a heads up when you plan on disappearing for months on end," she said, her voice strained. Silver snapped his head up.

"Oh. Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't mean to wa-" She stopped short, flabbergasted. "Silver, where've you been?"

"Why is it important you know?" Silver brushed past her, heading into the living room.

"I think it would be a courtesy to tell me, since you're in my apartment," Lyra retorted, following him.

He sat down on the sofa, but Lyra held her ground, waiting for an answer. Finally, he said, "I went to watch the Kanto League."

"The Kanto League?"

"Yes."

"Why would you want to go see the Kanto League?"

"I have my reasons."

Lyra frowned, figuring it would be a vain pursuit to learn why he was interested in attending the event. Besides, she knew she could only stick with one inquiry at a time.

"In any case," she continued, "the Kanto League was two weeks ago. You've been away for much, much longer. What were you doing before then?"

"You know I can't stay in one place," he replied simply.

"I don't understand." Lyra shook her head. "You said Team Rocket was the problem. You said you had done something to anger them. But they're gone now. Their leader is in jail; Team Rocket has been gone for years."

"That's not true."

"How isn't it?"

"It's complicated."

"I'm not stupid, Silver. If you would just explain..." She trailed off, and Silver raised his eyebrows as he took a drink of his water. She started again, "If you know something, if you know that Team Rocket is still out there... you should tell someone. The G-Men."

He set his glass down on the coffee table, next to a days-old newspaper.

"I am _not_ talking to the G-Men," he said firmly.

Lyra was taken aback by his reaction. He sounded like he had a personal grievance with the organization, though this would be the first she had heard of it. As she wondered what to say next, Silver became intrigued by the front page headline on the newspaper. He picked it up, squinting at the print in the unlit room.

"... Someone tried to assassinate Iris Ajagara?" he inquired.

"Oh, yeah." She finally sat down, on a nearby armchair. "I guess you wouldn't have heard, since you were traveling. There were shots fired at her inauguration. Everyone'e fine, and the guy, a grunt from Team Plasma, is under arrest, but still really scary..."

"From Team Plasma?"

"Mhm," Lyra hummed. "It's an extremist group in Unova."

Silver was silent for a long moment. He carefully laid the paper back on the table.

"... Why didn't you at least tell me you were leaving?" Lyra asked quietly after a moment. "I worry about you, you know."

"I didn't want you to follow me."

"I don't know if I can accept that anymore. I'm so tired of you shutting me out of everything and expecting me to just be okay with that. I know we all have things we like to keep private, but... an absence of truth is lying, too, and I _hate_ being lied to."

He said nothing again, averting his eyes. Lyra folded her arms, frowning.

"How long are you going to stay this time?" she asked, almost bitterly.

"Can't say," he said, his eyes flicking toward the newspaper.

"If you're going to drop into my life again and live here, then I think I ought to know for how long."

"What, do you want me to pay rent?"

"_Maybe_," Lyra huffed. "I don't mind friends living here if they need a place to stay, but I'm not so sure about you."

"I can go to the Pokémon Center if you'd prefer."

"You missed my point," she sighed. "... At least promise you'll tell me how long you'll be gone when you leave again?"

Silver retrieved his water.

"Fine," he agreed.

Lyra fixed her gaze upon him. His behavior had always come off as odd because he was so secretive. He had revealed things to her before in vague sentiments, in undetailed stories that never satisfied her desire to know him. Tonight only reaffirmed that there was much, much more he hadn't told her.

.

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_Credit to Undercityrezident for the use of his character, Gerard Poltiere._


	4. III: In Which Ritchie Resists His Role

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Chapter III: In Which Ritchie Resists His Role

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_**May 19th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"All right, Haxorous, use Giga Impact!" Iris ordered, standing several yards removed from the middle of the battle between her Haxorous and Dragonite.

Haxorous stomped its feet in anticipation as it became engulfed in an orange energy before launching at Dragonite. Dragonite braced itself and held its arms out to catch Haxorous's blades. Dragonite was sure to grab the dull edge that dipped into Haxorous's face. He had the mistake of grabbing the sharp sides once, and he didn't intend to do it again.

Dragonite skidded back a few feet when he stopped Haxorous from making full-body contact, but the orange aura didn't break. Dragonite gritted its teeth and tried to push back, but Haxorous overpowered him, and Dragonite fell back into the dust.

"Nice work, Haxorous," Iris commended before looking toward her fallen Dragonite. "Are you all right, Dragonite?"

Dragonite grunted but sat up, giving her a thumbs-up. Iris smiled, relieved. They were on the first floor battlefield where she and Drayden used to hold gym matches. Yet, since her inauguration, the gym had become the office of the Unova Champion, and so the battlefield was now her training grounds.

"Ms. Ajagara?" Iris perked up and turned to see one of Paul's agents approaching. He, along with several other agents, had been on-guard at her gym since the incident.

"Hello Cole, or, um, Agent Murray." Iris stumbled over her words. "Sorry. Paul calls you Cole, but Leaf calls you Agent Murray, so I'm not sure which is the right way for me to address you."

His stoic expression broke as his lips twitched into a smile.

"Either is fine, Ms. Ajagara."

"Then I'll call you Cole, too, if you don't mind," Iris said. "What do you need?"

"There is someone here who wants to speak with you," he informed her.

"Who?"

"Grimsley Astor."

"Oh!" Iris's eyebrows shot up with surprise. "Grimsely's here? Well, sure, we can talk."

Agent Murray nodded before saying, "I'll bring him in."

As he left, Iris retrieved her Pokéballs and turned to Haxorous and Dragonite.

"Return, both of you," she said, recalling them. As she stored them away, Agent Murray returned with Grimsely in tow.

"Hello, Grimsley," Iris greeted with a smile. "I didn't expect to see you today."

"Good morning, Ms. Ajagara," he politely replied. "I tried to call ahead, but the line was disconnected."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Iris pressed the palm of her hand to her face. "My husband cut off our phone after the inauguration, because we were getting too many calls..."

"Understandable," Grimsley said. "If it's no problem, I would like to speak with you privately. I heard you begin interviewing today to find a chief for your new G-Men branch, so I understand if you're busy."

"It's no problem at all," Iris dismissed. "No one's coming in until noon. I was just doing some training now, to clear my mind. I've never really... hired anyone for anything before, so I'm not sure what to expect!"

Grimsley said nothing in response. Iris frowned and pushed her hair behind her ear, now sensing some tension in the air.

"Well," she continued, after clearing her throat, "we can head up to Dray—er, my office, if you'd like. I guess it would be better to discuss things there rather than on a dusty battlefield."

Grimsley nodded and said, "That would be nice. Thank you, Ms. Ajagara."

* * *

><p>Burgundy kept a wary eye on the classroom clock, counting the minutes that passed by. It was only a little after 10 a.m., and young C-Class students were beginning to filter into the room and fill the rows of tables. Cilan was at the computer, going through his email to retrieve his notes for class that day. When he finished, he pulled off his glasses and dropped them into the front pocket of his vest before moving to meet his students. Burgundy watched, but held back.<p>

"Good morning," Cilan greeted a young brunette sitting at the front.

"Ah... morning," she shyly replied.

"What's your name?"

"Karina," she answered.

"Karina Valdis?" he inquired, and she nodded. "You prefer Karina, though?"

"Yes, please."

"How old are you, Karina?"

"13," she answered.

"Ah, so you applied to get into the PCA as soon as you were eligible?" Cilan asked.

"Mhm," Karina hummed. "When I turned 10, my parents wouldn't let me go on a journey, but they still got me a Pokémon. While on a family trip to Nimbasa City, though, I met a Pokémon Connoisseur, and he gave me and my Pokémon an evaluation and talked a lot about how close we were. It was a cool experience, and when I heard there was a PCA campus in Nimbasa, I decided to check it out. I learned that you had to be 12 to apply, though, so I waited, and I ended up coming to the Opelucid campus instead, because it's a lot closer to home."

"Is this your second semester at the C-Class rank, then?"

"Yes."

"And how have you liked it so far?"

"I _love_ it." She smiled, her face brightening as she spoke. "My parents were skeptical at first, but they're really supportive now that they see how much I enjoy it. It's definitely something I want to stick with. I'd like to be an S-Class Connoisseuse someday."

Cilan chuckled before saying, "Well, I'm certain you'll achieve your goal with your determination, Karina. Ms. Myers—" Cilan gestured to Burgundy, and she straightened up in surprise. "—and I will do our best to equip you with the skills you need to advance to the B-Rank in this class, and I hope it's as enjoyable to you as your past classes."

Karina inclined her head, still smiling.

"Thank you, Professor Griffith." She seemed less nervous now. Cilan perked up when his phone began vibrating in his front pant pocket, and he plucked it out to see who was calling. He raised his eyebrows when he realized it was Iris.

"Pardon me, but I have to take this call," he said, addressing Burgundy. "Please, feel free to acquaint yourself with the students. I'll be back before class begins at 10:15."

Cilan headed down the aisle and out the classroom door before answering his phone.

"Iris?" he inquired. "Is something wrong?"

"_Grimsley quit._"

"What?"

"_Grimsely turned in his letter of resignation this morning_." There was a slight waver in her voice.

"Why?"

"_I, ugh..._" A short pause followed as Iris took in a breath. "_He's not happy about Unova getting a G-Men unit. He said Elite Four members need to support their Champion, but he can't support me in this, so he's decided to resign_."

Cilan sighed. He leaned against the wall and stayed silent for a long moment, processing this information and considering how he should respond.

"Well, he's not wrong. An Elite Four member should be supportive of his or her Champion," he finally said. "So, he's actually doing you a favor by leaving."

"_I didn't want this to happen_."

"I know," Cilan reassured her. "No one would. But, Grimsley has the right to disagree with you and resign. That's his issue, not yours. Have you spoken with anyone else yet?"

"_No. I called you first_. _I don't know what to do. I already have to find a chief for this new G-Men branch, and now I have to find a new Elite Four member._"

"Iris, please, calm down," Cilan said evenly. "The Unova League isn't until September. You have plenty of time to find an Elite Four member, and I think you'll do so quicker than you imagine. What you should do now is talk to Paul and get in contact with Wallace to inquire about the PR that goes into a Elite Four member resigning. After that, you might want to consult with Alder and Drayden; I'm sure both would have good ideas as to who could replace Grimsley. You could also call Leaf to get her insight, too. Isn't Paul helping you today?"

"_Yes. Paul will be around,_" Iris answered. "_I'm sorry. I guess I kind of panicked. I just didn't expect this._"

"I wouldn't have either. Just take a couple minutes to breathe, and then do what you need to do." He paused. "I need to get class started. I'll be home in a couple hours, and you'll have started interviews by then."

"_Right... Sorry for pulling you away from students. Love you._"

"I love you, too. I'll see you soon."

He hung up and turned off his phone before entering the classroom once more.

"Good morning," he greeted his students brightly as he moved back toward the front.

* * *

><p>"So do you have a place to stay, yet?" Drew asked politely as he pulled into a parking space near an apartment complex.<p>

"Yes," his passenger, Ursula, answered as she unbuckled her seat belt. "I signed a lease this morning, and I'm moving in tomorrow."

It had been more than a week since Drew had made the calls to hire for what Kenny had now dubbed the Contests in Unova campaign, or CIU. Only now were his staff beginning to trickle into Unova from the other four regions, however. Aside from his close circle of friends already in Unova, Ursula was the second staffer to arrive, having flown in from Sinnoh yesterday. He had picked her up from her hotel that morning.

"Do you need help with that?" Drew asked, stepping out of the car.

"No," Ursula refused, waving her hand. "I don't need anyone's help. I have the means to pay for a bellboy to carry my suitcases down to a cab tomorrow, and my lovely Garchomp will help me take it all inside and unpack."

"Good... to hear it."

Ursula retrieved her purse, following Drew's lead.

"So what are we here for, anyway?" she asked as they began heading up a set of stairs.

"This is where May's and my apartment is," Drew answered. "It's our temporary meeting place for the campaign, until we can rent some office space. I know May has been calling around today to see what's available."

"This is same May whom you secretly married in the last issue of Coordinators Weekly?"

"That's her," Drew affirmed. "Coordinators Weekly reported that?"

"Oh yes." Ursula smiled wryly. "Apparently, you proposed spur of the moment while 'vacationing' in Unova, no ring, no prepared speech, and were married on the same day."

"Sounds romantic," Drew said dryly. "Sorry to disappoint, but May and I are not married. Coordinators Weekly likes to default to speculation about May's and my relationship when it's not dragging trainers' names through the mud."

"I figured as much," Ursula replied lightly. "Just having some fun."

Drew raised an eyebrow as he inserted his key into his apartment door. He wasn't sure what to make of Ursula yet. They had initially met seven years earlier in Johto, while on he and his friends were on their 'adventure' toward Sinnoh. She had helped them stow away on a boat to Chocovine Town, but she had done so while exchanging catty remarks with both Dawn and Leaf. He supposed he was grateful for her help, but he was wary of the attitude he'd seen in action at several contests and Grand Festivals since then, especially around Dawn. He was hoping Contesta's recommendation proved fruitful.

He unlocked the door and pushed it open, inviting Ursula inside. They found their group in the living room, laptops out as they lounged on sofas and sprawled out on the floor. Dawn's Piplup was laying on top of a pillow near Dawn's feet, snoozing.

"Hello everyone," Drew greeted, "I'd like to introduce you to Ursula Schoenberg, our Social Media Manager. I think you all know each other already—with the exception of Conway, who's our Chief Technology Officer."

Conway, who was seated in one of the armchairs, adjusted his glasses and, with a smirk, said, "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Schoenberg."

"Uh... right..." Ursula drawled.

"So, has anything important been accomplished since I've been gone?" Drew asked.

"I purchased a URL," Conway answered. "The 'Contestsinunova' address was available. I'll be able to start building the website now."

"Great. Anything else?"

"Oh!" May raised her hand.

"May, you don't have to raise your hand."

"I found office space." May dropped her hand back to her side. "I called and scheduled a tour with the guy in an hour. So... we should probably leave really soon, actually!"

"Then you should get dressed," Drew said, amused.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I should!" May looked down at herself and realized her outfit could have qualified as pajamas. She set her laptop down and jumped up. "Okay, I'll get ready as soon as I can!"

He watched her as she went down the hallway and into their bedroom. He shook his head with a smile and picked up her laptop, trying to find where exactly this office space was and how to get there. He didn't trust May to give directions.

"On the note of important things accomplished," Barry suddenly began, looking proud. "I'd like to announce that I just got ordained to perform weddings through this website."

"You can do that?" Drew asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yup! All I gotta do is print my certificate," Barry replied.

"Huh," Kenny mused. He looked up from his laptop, grinning. "What do you know? I guess gay people really are ruining the sanctity of marriage."

Barry picked up a nearby throw pillow and aimed it at Kenny's head, but he dodged, laughing.

"You know, I'm really curious what marriage ordination has to do with public outreach and marketing," Zoey asked dryly.

"Hey, we're not trying to be lazy," Barry said, putting his hands up defensively. "It's just, there's not much for us to do right now with no events and things to advertise."

"You could always help me out," Dawn suggested. "I have my plate full right now."

"Ah-ha," Ursula cut into the conversation, swaying toward where Dawn was situated, "I thought you might be a part of this campaign, since you're in the same conspiracy club as Drew. So, what's your role in this whole thing?"

Drew paused to watch, to see how Dawn would handle herself. Piplup, meanwhile, lifted his head. Ursula's familiar voice had risen him from his nap, and he jumped up beside Dawn on the sofa and pointed at her accusingly.

"Piplu-" Before he could launch into an unintelligible tirade, Dawn pushed her hand over his beak, shutting him up.

"Well... I'm the Chief Scheduling and Advance Coordinator," she explained calmly. "Right now, I'm trying to find a venue where we can host a Q&A session with a panel of Top Coordinators."

"Have you called the Opelucid Don George Battle Club?" Drew asked.

"The battle club?" Dawn dropped her hand, and Piplup plopped down and folded his flippers, pouting.

"One of Ash's friends works for it, and Contesta and I were hoping we would strike a partnership with them in hosting contests and sharing profits," Drew explained. "If that works out, then maybe they would be willing to offer their building for the Q&A event."

"A battle club as a venue?" Zoey sounded doubtful.

"Who knows?" Kenny jumped into the conversation. "Maybe if we did make it work, we could have, like, the panelists use the field to show off some appeals prior to the questions starting."

"Not a bad idea," Conway added. "The title 'Top Coordinator' won't mean anything to Unovans in attendance unless they see them in action. Most of them have probably never seen a live contest before."

"_And_ this is why I hired all of you." Drew closed May's laptop. "If you'd like, Ursula, you can join Barry and Kenny in helping Dawn. Otherwise, there also isn't much you can do right now, aside from making the CIU's social media profiles."

"Will do, Andrew," she said.

"Just Drew, please."

Just then, May came back out from the bedroom, now wearing a dress and a touch of make-up. Drew smiled as he rose to his feet and approached her.

"You look nice," he said, pecking her on the cheek.

"Thanks." May beamed. "Are you ready to go?"

"I think so. I looked on your computer—it's the place near McAnnon and 3rd Street?" Drew asked.

"That's it!"

"Then we're ready to go." He looked toward the rest of the group. "Anyone else interested in coming along?"

The others exchanged quick glances before Dawn answered, "I think we're good. I'll text Ash and ask him about his friend. Do you know his or her name?"

"It's Stephen, I think," Drew said. "Good luck. We'll see you guys later."

As soon as they had left, Ursula smirked and looked at the others before remarking, "Wow, he sure is whipped."

"Yeah, welcome to spending time with May and Drew," Kenny chuckled.

_**May 19th, 2009. Late Morning. Pallet Town.**_

"I really don't think you have anything to worry about, Ash," Gary said as he, Ritchie, and Ash headed back into Ash's home. "You're basically as good as you're gonna get before your matches with the Elite Four begin. Stop stressing."

Gary and Ash had just finished a battle that Ash, perhaps unsurprisingly, won. Ritchie was the referee as usual. Ash had dove straight back into training after arriving back in Kanto from Unova last week. He wanted to be prepared, and it was possibly the most focused Ritchie and Gary had ever seen him. Then again, both suspected Ash throwing himself into training full-throttle was his way of keeping his awkward relationship with Misty off his mind.

"I know," Ash agreed, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I just don't wanna have any regrets. I don't wanna let down my Pokémon, and then look back and say I could've worked harder."

Pikachu's ears perked up when he noticed that the screen of his trainer's phone was bright with a new message. He jumped onto the table and picked it up.

"Pikapi!" he said, holding it out toward his trainer.

"Oh?" Ash accepted his phone, staring at it with a bemused expression.

"What is it?" Ritchie inquired.

"Nothing, really. Dawn just texted me asking for a friend's number." Ash opened up his phone's keypad and starting pecking at the letters with his index finger. He was a notoriously slow texter.

Just then, Ritchie's own phone began buzzing.

"Speaking of phones..." he mumbled, checking the caller ID—Trip—before picking up. "Hey, what's up?"

"_Is Gary with you?_"

Ritchie furrowed his eyebrows, confused. He cast Gary a quick glance, and the researcher straightened up in response.

"Yeah, he's here," Ricthie answered.

"Who is it?" Gary asked.

"It's Trip." Ritchie placed his hand over the receiver to answer Gary's question before returning to his call. "Why do you ask?"

"_I tried to call him, but he didn't pick up, so I assumed he was with you and Ash,_" Trip explained in brief. "_Did any of you hear that there was_ _a Lileep stolen from Mauville University in the middle of the night? Isn't that where Gary did his study abroad semester last year?_"

"Wha-? It is!"

"_I thought so._"

"What's happening, Ritchie?" Ash was curious now, too.

"One of the Lileep from Mauville University was stolen," Ritchie replied.

"What?!" Gary immediately headed for his bag sitting on the table and picked out his phone. He had missed several calls during his battle with Ash, one of which was indeed from Trip. He ignored them and opened up his browser.

"You still there?" Ritchie asked, lifting his phone to his ear again.

"_Mhm,_" Trip hummed. "_Anyway, I wasn't sure whether Gary knew about it or not, so that's why I called._"

"Well... thanks for giving us the news." Ritchie's eyes drifted toward Ash and Gary, who were now both hunched over Gary's phone. "I guess we'll talk to you later."

"_Yeah. See you._"

As soon as Ritchie hung up, Gary said, "I can't believe it. It's true. The student newspaper for Mauville University is reporting that someone broke into the lab in the early hours of the morning and took one of the Lileep."

"Are these the same Lileep that you talked about in your thesis?" Ash asked.

"Same ones." Gary frowned. "How did Trip find out about it, anyway? It doesn't look like it's been picked up by any of the major news outlets outside Hoenn, yet."

"Trip keeps a really good pulse on the media," Ritchie answered, "so I'm sure he stumbled across an article online or something."

"That's awful, though," Ash said. "That poor Lileep. It's probably missing its friends..."

Gary sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He closed the browser and checked his missed calls.

"Well, I guess I ought to respond to these," he said. "Most of them are my former colleagues, probably wanting to tell me about it. Maybe they'll know more."

He stood up and left the room, dialing the first of the list. Ritchie and Ash exchanged uneasy glances.

_**May 19th, 2009. Late Morning. Indigo Plateau.**_

"Madam Champion!"

As soon as Leaf heard the voice, a silent "oh no" passed through her lips and a less savory version of the phrase passed through her mind. She had left her office to retrieve a bottle of water from a vending machine on the first floor, a decision she now regretted. She straightened up and slowly turned to face Charles Goodshow, the long-time general manager of the Napajian League's conferences, as he jogged toward her. He was the person in charge of putting together the actual events and had done so for three generations of Champions.

"Hello, Mr. Goodshow," Leaf greeted, unexcited to see the aged man.

"I've been looking for you all morning, Madam Champion," Charles said, half-chastising her.

"You know, that's funny, because I've been avoiding you all morning."

He appeared exasperated.

"Madam Champion, have you decided who you want to referee the Elite Four matches next week?" he asked.

"No."

"Do you at least have any ideas?"

"No."

"Well, I have some ideas!"

"I don't care."

Leaf brushed past him. He let out a long sigh and mumbled "And I once thought Lance was hard to work with—pah!" under his breath before following her.

"Madam Champion," he began evenly after catching up, "I understand your frustration. I really do. You have one of the most difficult jobs in the world being a leader to our nation, and I try my best to ease your and the other Champions' burden by taking caring of the logistics of the league conferences. I realize the Silver Conference was not up to par with the behavior of the referee during your match, and for that I apologize. But we're pushing on the deadline! Mr. Ketchum's first match is next Monday! I need a referee in line."

Leaf let out a huff as she stopped and turned to face him.

"When is the absolute latest I can give you a name for a referee?" she asked.

"It would have been nice to know yester-"

"Absolute _latest_," Leaf emphasized.

Charles scrunched his face, his mustache twitching as he thought.

"Friday," he finally decided.

"Then I will have picked a referee by Friday. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with my Elite Four that I need to get to," Leaf said, turning away from him. "And stop calling me 'Madam.' I'm 22, not 40."

"Noted, Ms. Greene."

As Leaf continued on her way, she unscrewed the cap on the water bottle she purchased and tossed it into a nearby trash can. Just as she lifted the bottle to her lips, however, her phone began ringing. She lowered the bottle again with a frown and reached into her pocket to retrieve the device. She scowled when she saw who was calling.

"What do you want?" she said, picking it up.

"_I find it interesting that you complain about how I never call and then greet me like that when I do,_" Paul responded dryly.

"Sorry. I just escaped a conversation with Charles Goodshow, and now I'm in a bad mood."

"_Mm. Well, I've got great news._"

"I sense some sarcasm, so by great news, I'm assuming you mean terrible news."

"_Grimsely resigned because he's mad about Iris starting up the G-Men in Unova, or so he says._"

"Oh," Leaf said flatly. "Could be worse."

"_She's very upset._"

"Of course she is. She didn't want the G-Men there in the first place." She paused. "Have you released a statement yet?"

"_Iris already talked to Wallace, and he offered to do it._"

"Then what are you talking to me for?"

"_Just to keep you updated._"

"Well, that's unexpectedly nice of you." Leaf finally took a drink of her water. "Why didn't Iris tell me herself? As much as I like hearing your voice every now and then, I'd like to hear from her, too."

"_She's doing interviews right now._"

"Oh, that's right. I forgot that was happening today," Leaf mused. "Is there anything you need from me? I have to meet with my Elite Four in a couple minutes."

"_Iris wanted me to ask you what she should look for in an Elite Four candidate._"

"Someone who can disagree with you and not quit."

"_I'll let her know. Good luck with your meeting._"

"Paul?" Leaf asked, just as he was about to hang up.

"_Yes?_"

"Thank you for calling me. I'm sorry for snapping at you."

"_... I'll talk to you later._"

Leaf smiled and shook her head when he hung up. She slid her phone back into her pocket and ascended the stairway, to the second floor where her office was located. The door was open, and she was surprised (and pleased) to see that Misty, Karen, Will and Lorelei were already there.

"Sorry for arriving late," she apologized, shutting the door behind her. "I got held up."

"It's no inconvenience, Ms. Greene," Will said genially. "You're right on time."

"Thank you, Will." Leaf pulled a chair from against the wall, up toward the coffee table around which her Elite Four members sat. The chair was familiar to her; it was the same upon which she used to sit when she was 11-years-old, spending time with Lance in his (now her) office.

"I want to make this short, so all of you can continue going about your day," she began, sitting down. "There's no hiding the fact that Ash and I are friends. In fact, there's no hiding that Misty and Ash are friends. Let me make it clear that I don't want this to change anything come the first match on Monday. Misty and I have done our part in keeping with the impartiality clause these past few weeks, so Ash can have a fair match with the four of you and, if comes to it, me. I want you to do your part, too; don't go 'easier' or 'harder' on him because he's our friend."

"What is the order in which Mr. Ketchum is challenging us?" Lorelei inquired.

"Monday is Will. Tuesday, Karen. Wednesday is you, Lorelei. And finally, Thursday is Misty," Leaf answered. "Of course, you all understand that if at any point Ash loses a match, the challenge will end."

"Half-relevant question, but did Mr. Goodshow find you?" Karen asked. "He wanted to talk to you about a ref for said matches."

"Yes, he did." Leaf dragged out the 's' when she spoke. "Don't worry about the ref. I'm working on it. Just worry about your matches."

"I will not let you down, Ms. Greene," Will said.

"The only way you could let me down, Will, is if you acted any differently in a match against Ash Ketchum as opposed to any other trainer," Leaf replied. "Thank you all. That's all I needed to say. Carry on with any training you may do this next week."

"Thank you, Ms. Greene," Lorelei said on behalf of the others as they rose and shuffled out of the room. Misty lingered behind. Leaf sighed and pushed her chair back against the wall.

"What _are_ you going to do for a ref?" Misty asked once they were alone.

"I really have no idea," Leaf sighed. "I don't want to think about it, but Charles has been on my tail all day and set a deadline for Friday, so now I have to think about it. I'll ask Lance about it, and maybe Gary will be willing to watch some old footage of previous conferences to see if there's any refs that stand out as particularly... unbiased? Ugh."

"Speaking of which, where is Gary? I would've expected he'd be here now that the semester's done and he passed his thesis," Misty remarked.

"He's in Pallet with Ash and Ritchie," Leaf answered. "Ash wanted a practice battle with Gary, and Ritchie went with them to... ref..."

Misty blinked and looked at Leaf disbelievingly.

"Leaf... ?" she began cautiously.

The Indigo Champion smirked.

"Well," she said with a click of her tongue, sounding satisfied with herself, "I think I might have just found my ref."

_**May 19th, 2009. Noon. Opelucid City.**_

"As you can see, we keep our offices stocked with state-of-the-art, business-friendly technology," the realtor said, gesturing toward the groups of unoccupied desks lined with computers, phones, and other office amenities. May and Drew were following him as he took them around the office space. "Each computer has the latest word and photo editing programs installed, and they connect to a high-speed Internet that comes at no additional charge."

"Speaking of charges," Drew interjected, "how much will this all cost?"

"We charge $20 per square foot a month," the realtor answered. "I don't have the exact dimensions for this particular space, but if you excuse me for a couple of minutes, I can get them."

"Please."

"All right," the realtor said, stepping back. "Please feel free to continue looking around."

As soon as he disappeared from sight, May looked to Drew and, catching her hands behind her, asked, "So? What do you think?"

"It's great," Drew answered. "I wish Tim was here to let us know if this was a financially sound decision, though."

"We don't have to sign a lease today," May reminded him. "And, I think $20 per square foot is... average? I was looking up the usual costs for renting office space earlier. I think it's nice that it already comes with computers, too. Plus a TV!" She pointed to the wall, where a flatscreen hung. "We can watch Ash's matches next week from here if we want!"

Drew chuckled. He was glad she was excited about this.

"I know. It is really nice," he conceded. "But, money matters. I'm still not entirely sure how we're going to pull off getting the funds we need to get a branch of contests going here."

"Well, it's like you said," May assured him, "we'll try to work something out with the Don George Battle Club for the contest halls, and hopefully they'll let us host other events there. That'll help, won't it?"

"And then there's Iris."

"Iris?"

"No branch of the APC has ever happened without the financial help of the regional league," Drew explained. "We'll need Iris's help, and I'm sure she'll be willing. Leaf was right when she said Iris needs something to add résumé. Remind me to set up a meeting with her once the ball is rolling."

"You're asking me to remind you of something?"

"Good point. I'll put a reminder on my phone instead," Drew said, pulling out his device. May shoved his shoulder but laughed.

* * *

><p>Burgundy waited idly against the wall outside the classroom, scrolling through the newsfeed on her phone. Class had ended fifteen minutes earlier, and Cilan talked to her briefly afterward (yet again being polite, much to her annoyance) before apologizing and revealing he needed to leave. He explained something had happened within the Unova Championship that morning, and he had promised Iris he would be home after class ended. Whatever it was, the media didn't know about it yet.<p>

The campus shuttle came around every half-hour, and she knew she wouldn't have time to make the 12:00 p.m. shuttle without running in the heat, so she decided to wait for when it came again at 12:30 p.m. She would need to leave in five or so minutes to make it on time.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Myers."

Burgundy breathed in sharply and looked up to see Ricard Nouveau, another S-Class professor and member of the PCA Opelucid Board, strolling by. She dropped her hands to her sides and straightened up.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Nouveau," she replied politely.

"Today was your first day of class with Professor Griffith, wasn't it?" Ricard inquired. "How was it?"

"It was fine," Burgundy answered tacitly.

His lips curled into a smile. There was no friendly intent in it, however. It was malicious, sly even, and it unnerved Burgundy.

"Good. Because your future in the PCA depends on it."

He continued on his way, and Burgundy watched him, not allowing her distress show in her expression. Once he disappeared around the corner, she pulled her phone back out, went through her contacts, and typed out a message:

'Do you want to get drinks tonight?'

* * *

><p>"Rough day?" Cilan wasn't at all bothered when he came back to his home to see Paul sitting at the table, face down in his arm. Paul slowly lifted his head to look at the connoisseur.<p>

"I'm just waiting for Wallace to get back to me with a press release," he said.

"How have interviews been going for Iris?" Cilan asked, sitting across from him.

"I don't know," Paul answered. "She's been doing the interviews herself, while I've been trying to get this mess with Grimsley resolved. Alder and Drayden are coming here tonight."

"Good to know." Cilan paused. "By the way, thank you, Paul."

"For what?"

"For helping Iris with all this," Cilan replied. "She appreciates it more than you know. I appreciate it, too. I knew getting into this would be a mess, especially since Alder left us no structure with which to work. Having your experience has been a great deal of help."

"Don't thank me," Paul grumbled. "Leaf would do the same if she weren't busy with the league. And I don't have as much experience as you make it sound. I've only been doing this for a year."

"A year's experience is more than either she or I have," Cilan humored. "Don't degrade your efforts."

Paul said nothing in response. Cilan quirked an amused eyebrow.

"Anyway," Cilan continued, standing up, "have you eaten? I haven't. Would you like some lunch?"

"Sure," Paul mumbled, "thank you."

* * *

><p>"Thank you again, Ms. Ajagara, for the opportunity." Iris's most recent interviewee, a female agent from Hoenn, shook the Unova Champion's hand before escorting herself out of Iris's office and down the hallway. Agent Murray stood near the door.<p>

"How did that one go?" he asked once she was out of earshot, looking toward Iris.

"I liked her." Iris folded her arms and sighed before looking back at him and asking, "Can I just hire you instead?"

Agent Murray chuckled.

"I would be honored to work for you, Ms. Ajagara, if it weren't for my family back home in Sinnoh," he responded. Iris perked up and discreetly cast a look at his hand, where she found a worn, gold wedding ring.

"I didn't know you were married, Cole," she said.

He nodded, adding, "My husband takes care of our daughter when I'm away for work, like I am now."

Iris smiled and dropped her hands back to her sides.

"Well, hopefully, I'll have a new chief for this branch of the G-Men soon, so you can get back to your family," she said.

"Thank you, Ms. Ajagara. Would you like me to bring in the next candidate?" he offered.

"Please do."

Iris sighed after he left, wandering back toward her desk and leaning against it. This would be her final interview of the day. She was happy it was coming to a close, because the bureaucracy and other business behind the Championship _definitely_ wasn't her scene. Yet, she was also disappointed, because none of the candidates thus far has stood out to her in particular.

"Ms. Ajagara?"

Iris could have sworn her heart stopped, if even just for a second. She recognized the voice; at least, she was pretty sure she recognized it. When she looked at his face, though, she knew it was him.

"Agent Adalet." She said it in just above a whisper, mostly out of shock.

He had somewhat aged in the years since she had last seen him. She never knew how old he was when they first met, but she had always guessed early- to mid-thirties. Add seven years to that, and she got the man standing before her.

"It's actually just Erol Adalet, Ms. Ajagara," he corrected. "I haven't been an agent in the G-Men for seven years."

"Oh. That's right." Iris recalled Leaf saying something about him resigning, but it was a minor detail compared to the haze following the three months of chaos she underwent with fifteen other trainers.

Adalet gestured toward the chair in front of her desk.

"May I sit?" he asked.

"Y-Yes. Sorry."

He did so. He brought his suitcase onto his lap and pulled out his résumé, handing it to her.

"Thank... you..." She accepted it with hesitation. Adalet raised his eyebrows.

"I'm assuming you would like an explanation?" he asked.

"There are a few things I would like explained, yes," she admitted.

"Where would you like me to start?"

She paused for a long moment, thinking. Finally, she asked, "Why did you leave?"

"A disagreement," he answered simply, "with Lance."

"What was the disagreement?"

"He and I didn't see eye-to-eye on a lot of things," Adalet explained. "While I appreciate the G-Men for standing as a force of good and a mediator of peace and justice, I acknowledge it has many issues, too. The structure in which Champions exist as unelected political figures means there is, in reality, no structure at all, and no accountability, which leads to fears of bad people, a la Giovanni Paul, wrongfully obtaining that political power. These fears, while entirely justified considering what happened seven years ago, lead to a cycle of corruption, where Champions are picked and refs unfairly throw matches to them, which only continues to reinforce the corrupted system. It wasn't Lance's fault, but he was a participant in this system by preening your colleague, Leaf Greene, for the position, despite some behavior I felt was inappropriate. I'm sure you remember, as you were caught in the middle of it."

Iris stared. She wasn't sure whether she should appreciate his blunt, though clearly rehearsed response or be offended by it. She supposed she couldn't be offended, because she knew what he said was true. She was simply surprised he had so brazenly laid his personal impressions on the table, in an interview no less, where the goal was to impress her, not risk upsetting her.

It was then she realized he had come resolved to take that exact risk.

"I was 'preened,' too," she pointed out, quietly. She surprised herself to talk about it so openly. It was a topic often brushed over, even by those closest to her. "Not as much as Leaf was, but still. I was picked, too."

"I know," Adalet said, nodding.

Iris turned her head slightly, unsure of what to make of that reply.

"Second question," she abruptly started again. "Why do you want to come back?"

He was silent for a moment.

"Because I appreciate what you're doing," he finally said.

"What do you mean?"

"By creating this position, by attempting to establish the Unova branch of the G-Men as a separate entity from the Unova League, you're preparing for something that has needed to happen for years now: a divorce between the G-Men and the league," Adalet elaborated. "You, Ms. Greene, Mr. Rebolledo—you're setting the stage for a complete overhaul, and I want to help."

_**May 19th, 2009. Early Evening. Indigo Plateau.**_

Ritchie wasn't sure what to think of the text message he received from Leaf earlier in the day: 'If it's not a big inconvenience, please stop by my office.' He had already left Pallet by then and was on his way home, so he didn't have the chance to ask Gary if he had any idea what his girlfriend was planning. Ritchie was certain Leaf wanted something, but he had no idea what. Still, he texted back and said he would meet her, and he redirected his course.

He didn't visit the office of the Indigo Champion often. Security could be a pain, and the place was full of intimidating people. He had only been there several times during Lance's tenure to see Leaf, when she was still in training, and he had come by once or twice after her inauguration for various reasons. She was almost always in the same place, though.

Ritchie poked his head into her office and saw that she was at her desk.

"Leaf?" he inquired, trying to get her attention.

Her head snapped up.

"Hi. Glad you could make it," she said, sounding suspiciously more friendly than usual. She stood up as she spoke. "Would you mind shutting that door?"

"Sure... no problem..." He followed her instructions before turning to her again. "What's up?

"Well..." Leaf drawled, trailing off into thought. "I guess there's no beating around the bush. Ritchie, would you be willing to referee the Elite Four matches starting Monday?"

"_What?_"

"Please do this for me as a favor," Leaf pleaded, something Ritchie had never heard her do. "It would mean the world to me. I know you're good at it. You did a great job being a ref for the unofficial match between me and the Silver Conference winner last November, and I've watched you ref other matches before. You'd be financially compensated for your services, of course."

He stared.

"I can't referee something like that for you," Ritchie finally said, his voice still pitched with shock. "I've barely been certified for six months. People who referee league matches... They have _years_ of experience on me. I don't know if there's a league ref who hasn't been in the profession for less than a decade. That second, unofficial match between you and Vincent was just that: unofficial."

"Their experience doesn't matter if they're going to tip matches in the Elite Four's and my favor anyway," Leaf retorted. "You're one of the most fair people I know, Ritchie. I don't trust them, but I do trust you."

"What about the impartiality policy?"

"That's irrelevant. You're friends with both Ash and I," Leaf dismissed. "No one could question you as biased, because you can't be partial to both of us."

"No one _should_," Ritchie corrected. "That doesn't mean they won't. You do realize the reason why the ref at the Silver Conference last year threw you the match was because he was scared and didn't want to be hounded by the media if the competitor rose victorious?"

"I know, but-" Leaf began, but Ritchie cut her off.

"-And even if the media doesn't question me as a ref, it's still a bad situation for me to be in, having to choose between two friends," he said.

"You wouldn't be. You would be judging based on who wins and who loses, simple as that."

"I know that, but would you and Ash?"

"Of course we would. We're big kids. We can handle it."

"I'm not so sure. These are really high stakes. Giving you the match would mean crushing Ash's dream of becoming a Pokémon Master, but giving Ash the match would mean stripping you of the Indigo Champion title, which you spent _years_ preparing to take from Lance. That's too much pressure, and I would hate to see either outcome destroy one of two friendships that mean a lot to me." Ritchie shook his head. "I'm really sorry, Leaf. I can't do it."

She opened her mouth to protest again, but stopped herself, falling back.

"I understand," she gave in. "I'm sorry for asking."

Ritchie hesitated, now feeling guilty. He understood why Leaf was looking to him as a potential ref, but he stood his ground.

"If it's any consolation," he began, "I have an idea for who you might ask to ref for you, if you're looking for someone to be unbiased."

"Who?"

"Olivier Sand," he answered simply. "He's a traveling ref like me. Very talented, very fair. In fact, if I recall correctly, he once told me he was the ref for a full battle between Paul and Ash back when they were still teenagers, when Ash first traveled through Sinnoh."

"Who won?"

"Paul."

Leaf paused, thinking, turning over the idea in her mind.

"I guess... I'd be willing to talk to him," she said. "Do you have his number?"

"Not in my contacts, but I have it somewhere at home," Ritchie answered. "I can text it to you later."

"Please do." Leaf sighed. "Anyway, thank you for coming. I'm sorry for taking up your time."

"It's no problem," Ritchie responded. As he turned away, he added, "I'll see you on Monday, Leaf."

_**November 25th, 2008. Late Morning. Silver Town.**_

The one thing Leaf never felt she would get used to were the cheers of a packed stadium.

Having ended her journey just before she could enter the 1997 Indigo Conference meant she didn't have much experience battling in front of an audience. Joining the G-Men meant sliding into the shadows, into Lance's shadow specifically, and out of the spotlight. Battling, to her, remained a more private affair as she trained under Lance. It wasn't until she became a part of the Indigo Elite Four at 18 that she realized standing in a stadium made it more of a show than anything else.

Now a Champion, she understood why Lance hated league conferences. They were over-the-top, theatrical performances. She never realized just how much of it was fake—or at least, how much of it had the potential to be fake—until her first televised battle as a Champion.

"_Welcome all to the final round of the post-Silver Conference elite matches!_" The announcer's voice boomed in the stadium, intensifying the audience's hype. Leaf winced at the noise. "_We've watched challenger and winner of the 2008 Silver Conference, Vincent Kolack, fight tooth and nail to win against the Elite Four, and he stands here today to challenge Leaf Greene for her Championship title!_"

Leaf rolled her eyes. No one could see either her or Vincent still. She was standing hidden at the left entrance to the battlefield, while Vincent was at the right.

"_So, without futher ado, to our right, here's Vincent Kolack of New Bark Town!_" Vincent walked onto the field as per his cue, waving as the crowd cheered.

"_And of course, to our left, is Champion Leaf Greene of Pallet Town!_" Leaf put on her best smile as she stepped into the light of the sun, heading toward her side of the battlefield. Even if she was put off by the showiness of the league, there was something oddly satisfying about her appearance drawing a greater applause than her opponent's.

She stepped into the painted trainer's box on the field.

"Are both trainers ready?" the ref called out to them.

Vincent nodded and added a resounding "yes," pulling out his first Pokéball.

"I am, too," Leaf agreed, retrieving her first Pokéball as well.

"Then... begin!" The ref started the match.

"Go, Meganium!"

"Come out, Venusaur!"

Vincent's Meganium trilled, seeing her opponent, while Venusaur emitted a low, throaty growl. Leaf found this match-up interesting. She could only assume Meganium was Vincent's starter, since he was from New Bark, in the same way Venusaur was hers, coming from Pallet. It would be interesting to see the two near life-long partners of different trainers match up.

"_Two fully evolved Grass-types to start!_" the announcer commented. "_Neither side has a a type advantage, since we know Leaf's Venesaur has an all-Grass moveset. This should be a good match._"

"After you, sir," Leaf said, her voice thick with a sassy, syrupy sweetness.

"Meganium, use Razor Leaf!" Vincent ordered.

"Venusaur, defend yourself with Vine Whip!"

Venusaur's vines shot from beneath its flower, batting away the storm of leaves that came its way. Not one managed to make contact with Venesaur. Leaf smiled. Her Venusaur's accuracy and coordination had always been on-point.

"Now, Venusaur, begin preparing for a Solar Beam attack!"

"Meganium, stop its concentration with Take Down!"

"Stand your ground, Venusaur."

Venusaur's flower began collecting the sun's rays, while Meganium stomped its foot before charging toward Venesaur. They butted heads, but true to Leaf's instructions, Venusaur didn't move an inch, instead pushing back as it continued to gather energy.

"Now that it's close, Venusaur, use Solar Beam!"

"Get away, Meganium!"

It was too late for Meganium, though. Venusaur's Solar Beam blasted it, blowing it halfway across the field. Meganium fell to its side when the attack ended.

"Meganium, are you oka-" Vincent began, but he was cut off.

"Meganium is unable to battle, so Venusaur is the winner!" the ref quickly declared, and the crowd immediately erupted into cheers. Both Leaf and Vincent, however, appeared shocked.

"_And the first Pokémon goes down!_" the announcer said. "_Vincent has five Pokémon left. What will he do next?_"

Vincent shook it off, as did Leaf. He recalled Meganium before selecting his next Pokémon.

"All right, Miltank, you're up!"

"_Vincent decide to go with a Normal-type! Again, no type advantages, so we'll have to see how this plays out._"

"Miltank, use Rollout!"

Miltank bounded toward Venusaur before balling up and rolling toward him at a high speed. Venusaur looked back toward its trainer, waiting for an order.

"Just wait," Leaf said.

Venusaur looked nervous, but trusted its trainer. Rollout ended up being a direct hit, and Venusaur was pushed back several feet. Its knees gave out from the impact, and it fell to the ground.

"_Oh no, will this be the end for Venusaur?_"

Leaf looked at the ref expectantly, but he did nothing. She let out a breath and frowned.

"All right, Venusaur," Leaf began, "use Synthesis."

Venusaur rose again and looked toward the sun, letting the light restore its energy.

"Okay, Miltank, use Rollout again!"

"Venusaur, Petal Blizzard!"

As Miltank balled up again and headed toward Venusaur, it became caught up in the flowery storm, stopping it dead in its tracks. Miltank unraveled and was thrown back against the ground.

"Oh man," Vincent mumbled to himself. "Miltank, now I think it's time for Milk Dri-"

"-Miltank is unable to battle, so the match once again goes to Venusaur!" the ref interjected once again.

Leaf was astounded. Miltank and Meganium had hardly been given a chance when they were knocked down. Yet, when her Venusaur was in the same predicament, the ref gave him plenty of time to get back on his feet. She attempted to give the ref a pointed look, but he avoided eye contact with her entirely.

That was when her blood began to boil.

* * *

><p>"That's weird," Dawn mused aloud, blinking. "I could've sworn that Miltank was about to get up."<p>

"I don't think you're alone in that," Paul added. "I don't think Meganium was completely done either."

They were in the Champion's box, along with Gary, Lance, and the Indigo Elite Four. All eight trainers were on their feet, watching the match in alarm. Although there had historically been strict referees who gave little leeway during matches such as these, none of them had seen anything quite like this.

Vincent's next Pokémon was Magneton. Leaf decided to recall Venusaur and send out her Ampharos. Magneton's Thunder missed the mark, but Ampharos's Electro Ball was a direct hit. Magneton was called unable to battle shortly thereafter, again without regard for time.

"Three bad calls in a row," Gary mused. "This isn't good. I can tell Leaf's mad, even from here."

Lance pressed his lips into a hard line as a low growl emerged from the back of his throat. He spun on his heel, heading toward the door.

"Lance, where are you going?" Karen called after him.

"Downstairs, for when Leaf's match ends," he answered shortly.

"Why?"

"Damage control."

Vincent sent out his fourth Pokémon. Gary let out a breath and looked to where Lance had gone.

"I'm going, too," he decided.

"Don't you want to see how the battle ends?" Misty asked, turning toward him as he motioned to leave.

"It's clear Leaf's going to win. The ref's throwing her the match," Gary replied before disappearing out the door.

None of them wanted to hear it, though they knew it was true. Paul, Dawn, and Misty all exchanged glances.

"We should go, too," Paul mumbled at last, following Lance and Gary's footsteps.

* * *

><p>"Something's wrong," Ritchie breathed in sharply.<p>

"What is?" Ash asked, casting his friend a confused glance. Together, they had made the trek to Johto to watch the match in the stadium. It was Leaf's first league match as the Indigo Champion, and they wanted to support her.

"I thought I might have been imagining it the first time, but that ref is making some really questionable calls," Ritchie elaborated. "When a Pokémon is knocked down, you're supposed to give it a ten-second wait time to see if it's able to get back up before declaring it unable to battle. This guy's not waiting at all for Vincent."

"Why would he do that?" Ash looked appalled. "That's not fair."

"I don't... I don't know..." Ritchie was at a loss for words. League referees, especially those who called Champion matches, were perceived as the paradigm of fair judgment in Pokémon battles. Ritchie was new in the refereeing business, and he didn't want to be so arrogant as to believe he was better than someone with far more experience, but he wasn't sure what to make of this. "Maybe... Maybe that's the point, though."

* * *

><p>By the time the match was over, the entire group within the Champion box had moved down to the first floor, prepared for the inevitable fallout when Leaf stalked backstage, steaming with anger. They underestimated her ire as she flew into the room in a fit of fury.<p>

"What the _hell_ was that?" she demanded, her voice pitched with enmity.

"Leaf, calm down," Lance said evenly, the first to respond.

"_Calm down?_" she laughed. "How can you expect me to calm down? That was a disaster! I can't even believe people didn't start rioting in the stands. It was so obvious that ref had a bias toward me."

Misty's phone buzzed, and she glanced at the message on her screen. She cast Dawn and Paul a quick glance, saying, "I'm going to get Ash and Ritchie."

"Okay." Dawn nodded. Misty quickly left the room.

"It's not as bad as you think," Gary began reassuringly.

"_Really._" Leaf was not in the mood for tender behavior.

"Even with the bad calls, it was clear you were in control and your Pokémon were stronger," Gary persisted. "You were the better battler."

"Exactly," Leaf huffed. "_I_ was the better battler. I knew I could easily clinch a victory _on my own_ once Meganium's Take Down bounced off and my Venusaur's Solar Beam caused that much damage to it—because that was his starter, and if that was the best fight they could put up, then I was going to win and protect my title just fine. How dare that ref take a fair win from me and leave me with this mess?" She snapped her head toward Will, and he reeled back in surprise. "Who was that ref anyway?"

"I'll find Mr. Goodshow, and I'll get his name, Ms. Greene," Will responded, recovering.

"Good. I want him fired. I don't want him ever reffing for a league-official event again. In fact, if I can get his certification stripped of him, I will. I don't care how many years he's been in the profession."

"He should've known better," Lance conceded.

"That's an understatement."

"Leaf, your anger is justified, but you must pause and breathe, so you don't act irrationally," he advised.

"Right, because you've always been so good at doing that," Leaf snapped.

It was then Misty slid back into the room with both Ash and Ritchie in tow. Leaf stood simmering for a moment longer before pulling her fingers through her hair and saying, "I need to schedule a rematch, with a new ref."

"That's not a good idea, Leaf," Lance said.

"And why not? It was an unfair match. A new one is warranted," she growled.

"I agree with Lance," Paul finally spoke up.

"You stay out of this, Paul. This is not your division."

"Hear me out," Paul pressed, though he was now irked, too. "If you schedule a rematch, you'll set a bad, exploitable precedent where losing challengers will demand a rematch over inane ref errors, which happen in every match. They just happened to be particularly bad in this one. Also, scheduling a rematch breaks the illusion that the league is a non-corrupt entity with Champions who _aren't_ raised to be Champions from childhood, _Leaf_."

"Good, I hope it's broken," she retorted. "I wanted my tenure to be about transparency and doing what's right. Brushing over what happened would be playing into the same system that nearly ruined us six years ago, or did you already forget about that? Did you already forget why we're here?"

"It's not playing _into_ the system, it's _playing_ the system," Paul fought back. "Believe me, I hate it as much as you do, but if you fly off the handle now, we are _never_ going to fix the problems we want to solve. We can't even do much until Iris is here, and that's a long time coming."

An uncomfortable silence fell. Leaf heaved a breath, but said nothing. Ash cast her a concerned glance.

"Leaf," he began quietly, slowly, "I wouldn't have even known if Ritchie hadn't said something to me, about the ref making bad calls. No one will make a big deal out of it unless you do."

Leaf loosened the tension in her shoulders.

"It still has to be addressed," she said.

"I agree," Paul said. "And it will be."

"How?"

"An unofficial match," Paul answered. "Invite Vincent to battle you again, where there are no cameras. In fact, you can ask our good friend Ritchie—" Paul gestured to him as he spoke, and Ritchie straightened up. "—who _just_ got certified to ref for you. You'll win, you'll be able to sleep better at night, and Vincent won't complain. Fair enough?"

Leaf bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows, hesitating.

"... Okay." She was quieter, her anger now contained.

Gary let out an audibly relieved sigh, now that the situation was resolved.

"Come on, Leaf," he said, touching her waist. "Let's get you something to drink."

She nodded, and they left. Lance watched them go with an indiscernible expression.

"I've never seen one of Leaf's meltdowns so effectively diffused," he mused after they were gone, before looking toward Paul. "Nice work, Rebolledo."

The compliment caught Paul off guard, and he turned his head slightly.

"Thank you..."

Dawn touched the small of his back, offering him a reassuring smile. Misty smacked her lips before her gaze connected with Ritchie's, and then with Ash's.

_**May 19th, 2009. Early Evening. Opelucid City.**_

Iris was glad to finally be away from her office and back in the living quarters of the gym, where she didn't feel like an outsider in something that was supposed to be hers. Alder and Drayden had recently arrived, and they had gathered in the living room to discuss the matter of a new Elite Four member. She sat next Cilan on the sofa, across from her mentors, while Paul took up residence on a nearby armchair.

"How did your interview go today?" Drayden asked her politely to start.

"There were... a couple interesting candidates." Iris felt strange talking about it, knowing Alder disapproved of establishing the G-Men in Unova. She added, "I'm going to need some time to decide."

"I think that's perfectly fine," Alder spoke up, catching her off guard. "Better to carefully consider your options than to make a snap decision and end up with the wrong person."

"Yeah." Iris nodded. She then looked toward Paul, wanting to get off the subject. "How did it go today with Wallace?"

"The press release is out," Paul answered shortly. "Haven't turned on the TV yet to see what's happening, though."

"Thank you, Paul," Iris said. "Really."

He nodded but said nothing.

"If the press release is out, then expect speculation to start for who you'll pick to replace Grimsley," Drayden said.

"And who am I going to pick?" Iris asked.

Drayden and Alder exchanged quick glances. Alder folded his hands and sighed.

"Well..." the former Champion began thoughtfully, "I think it would be best if you offered the position to Elesa. But, she _will_ turn you down."

"Then why offer it?" Cilan politely inquired.

"Because the gesture will be appreciated," Alder elaborated. "I know Elesa has no interest in joining the Elite Four, but offering her the chance will stand as recognition for her talents and her years of service as a gym leader. It will gain her respect, and it will gain the respect of the other gym leaders, too."

"And it will trickle into the media cycle, too, which will strengthen your reputation," Drayden added.

"Okay..." Iris seemed more at ease. Maybe Grimsley quitting wouldn't be as bad as she thought, if it would end up helping her rather than hurting her. "But then what?"

"Then, you're free to pick whoever you want," Alder answered. "You'll have shown sufficient grace in offering it to Elesa, so the decision is yours completely."

Iris let out a laugh and said, "But that's just the the thing: I don't know who I want. I don't know what would be a good choice for an Elite Four member. I never even was one."

Cilan sighed. He knew therein lied the main problem with Iris becoming Champion now.

"Paul, what do you think?" Cilan asked, casting the Sinnoh Champion a glance.

"A friend," Paul said simply.

"What do you mean?" Iris asked.

"Pick someone's who's a friend, or someone who could be," Paul expanded on his initial answer. "Leaf bringing Misty into the Elite Four was one of the best possible decisions she could have made."

"I don't have a 'Misty,' though," Iris said, frowning. "Believe me, if I could have Misty herself, I would."

"There were not one gym leader with whom you became close during your time as the Opelucid City Gym Leader?" Drayden inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"No, there was," Iris corrected, "but, you see, I married him."

A brief silence ensued. Cilan's gaze fell upon her, and Iris crossed one leg over the other and folded her arms, wearing an exasperated smile.

"It would be good, even, just to have someone close to your own age," Alder spoke again.

"Like who?" Iris asked.

"Well, there's Cheren Haberkorn, the gym leader in Aspertia City," Alder answered. "or there's Georgia Hamilton, Brycen's replacement at the Icirrus City Gym."

Iris perked up.

"Georgia... ?"

Cilan raised his brow, but Iris shook her head before asking, "Paul, what did Leaf say?"

"Her words: 'Someone who can disagree with you and not quit,'" Paul repeated. "She was being sarcastic with what happened with Grimsley, but it's not bad advice either. It's about having someone who will hold you accountable, because there's no one outside the Championship circle who can without trying to kill you."

"Thanks for being blunt," Iris said.

"It's what I'm here for," Paul replied.

Iris blew a loose strand of hair out of her face and untangled her arms.

"Someone who can hold you accountable, huh?" she mused aloud.

_**May 19th, 2009. Evening. Icirrus City.**_

"It took you long enough," Burgundy grumbled as Georgia slid into the seat across from her at one of the less-expensive sit-down restaurants that served alcohol in town.

"Sorry, I had to lock up the gym," Georgia said dryly, retrieving the drink menu and opening it up. "You must have had a really bad day if you're this grumpy to see me. Did class not go well today or something?"

"Class went fine," Burgundy replied, her voice flat. "I didn't do much other than stand in the back while Cilan went over the syllabus, but it wasn't as painful as I thought it was going to be."

"Yeah, I don't get that." Georgia said, her eyes never straying from the menu as she turned the page. "I thought you said Cilan was being nice to you."

"He _is_."

"Then what's your problem?"

"With him, or with today?"

"Both." Georgia went with it.

"My day hasn't been so great, because of what happened _after_ class," Burgundy said.

"That is?" Georgia asked, putting her menu down, having made her choice.

"One of the PCA Opelucid Board members came by and yet again reminded me how much he really wants me to be expelled from the association."

Georgia stared, but she said nothing. One of the waiters came to the table, noting Georgia's arrival.

"Hello miss," he greeted. "Is there anything I can get for you today?"

"Yes," Georgia replied, reaching into her wallet to retrieve her ID. "I'd like the Key Lime Coconut Margarita, and two Fireball shots—one for me, and one for my friend."

The waiter accepted her ID, glancing at it before handing it back to her.

"All right," he said. "I'll have that out to you as soon as I can."

As soon as he was gone, Burgundy looked pointedly at Georgia and said, "I have to drive."

"We can walk back to my apartment, and you can spend the night," Georgia offered.

Burgundy nodded, thankful. She pushed her water out of the way and reached for the alcohol beverage she had ordered earlier. Georgia frowned, rubbing her temple. She felt bad for Burgundy. She had all heard all about her latest installment of issues with PCA, but she was at a loss of how to help her, and that was frustrating.

"So what's the deal with Cilan, then?" Georgia asked.

"Mm?"

"What's your problem with Cilan?" Georgia clarified.

"Oh." Burgundy set her drink down. "I don't know. Aside from him being an arrogant _cul_, I hate that he got everything handed to him on a silver platter: accepted into the S-Class program at 18, married at 22 to the woman who would end up being the Unova Champion, and now a respected professor at the PCA at 24. Meanwhile, I'm a single 22-year-old who's been rejected from the S-Class program three times now, teetering on the edge of being kicked out of the PCA for something that happened _years_ ago."

"Yeah, well, life's a bitch and then you die," Georgia grumbled in response. She sighed before adding, "Look, you and I don't know what happened behind closed doors to cause this mess for you. But, from what you've told me, it sounds like Cilan is the only person in the association who's on your side, and I wouldn't take that for granted. It seems like this class is what's gonna make or break not only whether you get into the S-Class program, but whether you stay in the PCA at all."

"I know."

"Then don't screw it up because of some long-standing grudge."

"I _know_," Burgundy repeated. "I don't plan on it. I've been perfectly civil with Cilan since this began. But you have to understand why I'm frustrated. It would be like you working for someone you hate, like Iris."

"I don't _hate_ Iris," Georgia protested. "In fact, I feel bad for her, because although she doesn't deserve that Championship seat, she also doesn't deserve to be killed over it. I don't know what was going through Alder's head when he decided to nominate her as his replacement, but it was a bad decision."

Their attention was suddenly drawn to a nearby television hanging on the wall, as the breaking news banner flashed across the screen.

"_Good evening, Unova,_" the anchor began. "_We've just received news that Dark-type specialist Grimsley Astor has resigned from his position in the Unova Elite Four. According to a press release from the Unova Championship office, the resignation occurred on good terms and was a result of-_"

"-Well," Burgundy began, clicking her tongue, "looks like you're not the only one who feels that way, Gia."

_**May 20th, 2009. Middle of the night. Pallet Town.**_

It had been a long time since Ash last had a restless sleep.

He didn't dream at night much anymore, which was okay, because he learned it was much better to dream in the daylight and to strive to make those sunshine dreams a reality, rather than pine for the ones seen in darkness, the ones he had since accepted were never meant to happen. Yet, on that particular evening, he woke up with a pit in his stomach and static in his head. Something wasn't right; something he had seen wasn't right.

Pikachu was peacefully snoozing to Ash's right, undisturbed. Ash carefully sat up and reached for his phone, dialing a number.

"_... Ash?_" Gary's sleepy voice emerged from the other end of the line.

"Hey, Gary," Ash said in just above a whisper.

"_Ash, it's 2 a.m._"

"I know. I'm sorry," Ash apologized. "I had a bad dream, I think."

"_Silver? I thought you had stopped seeing him in your sleep years ago._"

"I don't... know..." Ash stared at the ceiling, caught in its empty spread. "Gary, what do you think's going to happen to that Lileep?"

"_Oh geez._"

"I'm being serious."

"_I know. I can't say for sure, Ash._"

"Who would take it?"

"_I don't know. There are a lot of PokéManiacs who will go to extremes to collect rare Pokémon._" Gary yawned before adding, "_You've got to stop worrying about this, Ash. Yes, it's terrible. But there's nothing you or I can do about it._"

"Yeah..."

"_Get up, get some water, maybe a snack, and go back to sleep,_" Gary continued. "_I'll see you tomorrow, okay?_"

"Okay."

Pikachu was roused midway through the conversation. He lifted his head, casting his trainer a tired gaze before crawling over to him and snuggling into his chest. Ash smiled, patting his companion on top of his head.

.

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	5. IV: In Which Bonnie's Impatience Wins

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.

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Chapter IV: In Which Bonnie's Impatience Wins

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_**May 22nd, 2009. Early Morning. Opelucid City.**_

It was hardly past 8 a.m. when Dawn's cell phone cut through the sleepy, sunlit silence of the bedroom. Dawn jerked awake, and she made several unsuccessful grabs at her nightstand. When the ruckus went on long enough, Paul shifted under the covers and grumbled something into his pillow, a muffled, "Dawn,_ get your phone._"

"Hello?" Dawn finally grabbed the device, answering it. Her voice was groggy, still. A brief silence passed before she shot up in bed, now fully awake. "Yes, yes! This is her. Dawn Berlitz from the CIU campaign."

She brushed her fingers through her messy hair, listening.

"Really? That's... that's great. What time would work best for you? ... Yes, 2 p.m. would be fine. Thank you so much."

As soon as she hung up, Dawn dropped the phone onto the bed and, burying her face in her hands, let out a short, delighted squeal.

"It is _too_ early for that," Paul groused, turning his head to give her a side eye.

"Sorry," she apologized, dropping her hands. "I'm just very excited. That was Don George, the owner of the Don George Battle Club in Unova. I've been waiting for him to get in contact with me for several days, after I called Ash's friend and told him about the CIU campaign. Don George said he's very interested in partnering with the APC to get contests in Unova, and that he would also be willing to offer the battle club here in Opelucid for the Q&A event we want to hold!"

"Which Don George is this?"

"Hm?"

"There are multiple Don Georges," Paul explained. "It's like the Joy family and the Jenny family."

"I... don't know," Dawn admitted. "But I do know that I have meeting with one of them at the Opelucid battle club today, and that's all that matters." She paused before adding, "I should text Drew."

She picked up her phone once more and quickly typed and sent a message. She then set her phone back to vibrate and turned off the alarm that was supposed to wake her and Paul an hour later than now before throwing her covers off her and heading toward the bathroom. Paul sat up, too, and stretched. Dawn's phone buzzed, and Paul cast it a wary glance. He could read the messages on the screen:

'Guess who just scheduled a meeting with Don George at 2 p.m. today?'

'Dawn, you're the best. At the battle club?'

"Hey..." Dawn wandered back into the bedroom, her hair now tied up in a manageable bun. "Would you like to get breakfast? There's a diner nearby, I think."

"Why?"

"Oh, I don't know." Dawn shrugged. "I'm just in the mood for pancakes, before I have to actually get dressed up and go meet with Don George this afternoon. Besides... It would be nice for you and I to do something. We've both been so busy that we haven't seen much of each other, and we don't..." She stopped short, reconsidering her phrasing. "... and we're both too tired to do anything at night."

"Fine. We can get breakfast," Paul agreed.

"Really?"

"Mm. Just give me some time to get dressed," he said, also rising from bed.

"That's okay. I have to get ready, too." She touched his arm reassuringly as he passed by, but he didn't pause, and the heat of his skin became a ghost against her fingertips.

He closed the bathroom door, and Dawn folded her arms, sighing. She picked her phone back up and read Drew's message before replying:

'Yes, at the battle club.'

* * *

><p>"It truly is an honor, Ms. Ajagara," Elesa said kindly, as she and Iris stood at the mouth of the Champion's office. "I deeply appreciate the offer, and I apologize for declining—but I'm too attached to my role as gym leader to leave."<p>

"I understand," Iris said, nodding.

Elesa smiled, flicking a loose strand of her platinum blonde hair out of her face.

"I wish you the very best in finding a new Elite Four member," she said, extending a slender hand toward Iris. "Take care of yourself. I imagine these past few weeks have been difficult."

"I will, thank you." Iris shook her hand. "Best wishes."

"To you, as well." Elesa stepped back, out into the hallway. "Goodbye."

She turned and continued down the hallway, her heels clicking against the tile, her dress swaying in rhythm with every step she made. She met Cilan, who was coming from the opposite direction, mid-way.

"Good morning, Cilan," Elesa said in passing.

"Morning, Elesa," Cilan politely responded. "Thank you for coming by."

"It was my pleasure," she said. "Give my sincere thanks to your wife, again."

"I will." Cilan paused to watch her leave before continuing to destination, Iris's office. He found her sitting on one of the armchairs, her head leaning against her hand.

"So?" he asked, drawing in her attention.

"It was just like Alder said would happen. She turned it down," Iris said. "Even though I knew it was coming, I'm kind of disappointed. I really like Elesa. She would've been great for the Elite Four."

"Alder was also right in saying she would be appreciative of the gesture," Cilan said.

"Mm..."

Iris placed her hands on her knees and stretched out, leaning her head back. Her eyes slowly made their way around the room—from the curtained windows, to her finished wooden desk, to the bookshelf full of texts that weren't even hers, to the elegant chaise lounge across from her.

"I hate this office," she said.

Cilan blinked and cast a quick glance around the room, too.

"I think it's nice. But..." He tapped his finger against his chin. "It definitely isn't you. Perhaps you should redecorate."

"Yeah," Iris agreed. "It needs a tree. And a skylight. And maybe one of those CDs that plays jungle noises on repeat."

Cilan chuckled.

"It sounds like someone's homesick," he remarked teasingly.

"Don't tell me you don't miss life in Striaton City sometimes," she sassed.

"Of course I do," Cilan said. "But, I also appreciate the life I have now, with you."

Iris ducked her head, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as a coy smile spread across her lips. She felt silly. They had been married for more than a year and a half, and he still managed to pull out lines that made her heart murmur. She hoped it never stopped.

"Me too," she said. Suddenly, the light feeling in her chest rushed to her head, and she felt dizzy. "Ugh..."

She stood, swaying slightly before heading toward her desk. She picked up a glass of red juice and drank from it. Cilan frowned.

"Are you still drinking Leppa Juice?" he asked.

"Yeah, so?" Iris replied, setting it back onto its coaster.

"Are you sure you don't need to see a doctor?"

"I'm fine, Cilan," she insisted. "It's just the stress, that's all."

"The Elite Four member, the chief of the G-Men, or ... the man at the inauguration?" Cilan took special care to avoid the word 'gunman.' He did that with nearly everything surrounding the events at the inauguration. Not so much for Iris—she didn't care; she'd probably roll her eyes if she figured out what he was doing—but for himself.

"All three," Iris answered. "What about the man from the inauguration?"

"His arraignment is today."

"Oh... I guess I haven't been paying much attention to that," she said, shrugging. "I probably should. I think it's... irresponsible not to? I don't know."

Now recovered from her minor spell of illness, Iris returned to the armchair.

"Have you thought about who you want to hire for the chief of the G-Men?" Cilan struck up a new topic.

"Thought about it? Yes. Any closer to deciding? No," Iris sighed. "I'm probably gonna find a new Elite Four member before I decide on someone for the G-Men, which I know is kind of backwards, since the chief is sort of a higher priority right now. At least, it is for Paul, and probably Leaf, too."

"Who are the candidates?" Cilan inquired, sitting on the chaise.

"They're... I can't even remember all their names, now," Iris answered. "They're mostly from inside the G-Men. I had one who... currently isn't working for it."

"No one stood out?"

"No, someone stood out," Iris corrected. "But, I'm not so sure about him."

"You _can_ put out a second call for applications, if you'd like," Cilan reminded. "You could even hold a second round of interviews, if you narrow your choices down."

"I don't think that would help." Iris shook her head. "I don't think I would get anything... um... different if I had more applicants. And more interviews with the applicants I already have wouldn't help, either. I wouldn't know what to ask them."

"You could ask Paul to sit in with you," Cilan suggested. "He probably would have, had Grimsley not resigned."

"I don't want that either."

"Why not?"

"Because..." Iris paused, struggling to put her thoughts into words. "Okay, so, I super appreciate Paul's help. I don't know where I'd be without him. And I think that's the problem. Paul can't hold my hand forever, and I don't want him to. I really don't like feeling as though I have to be... babied, I guess? I know everything's a mess with the inauguration and Alder leaving behind, well, nothing, and I know Cynthia told me it isn't fair to measure myself right away, but... I don't think I'm being a good leader if I can't figure out how to get on my feet myself."

"Iris, it's only been two weeks," Cilan assured her. "Cynthia's right. It isn't fair to measure yourself now, nor is it fair for anyone else to do the same, even if they are. Remember, Leaf was also very hands-on with Paul after he was inaugurated, and he did not face nearly the same caliber of issues that you do now."

"I know," Iris said as she began to play with a section of her hair, braiding it. "That's just how I feel, that's all. Anyway, could we not talk about this right now?"

"Sure. What would you rather talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know. Something non-serious." She smiled. "I'd even be willing to talk about trains, if you'd like."

Cilan chuckled again.

"Iris Ajagara, you are a true gem in this world."

_**May 22nd, 2009. Morning. Vaniville Town.**_

Fletchinder poked his head into Serena's bedroom to see that the young woman was still sleep, her head sunk into the cushion of her pillow. He crept into the room, a mischievous glint in its eye. This had always been his favorite thing to do, ever since his trainer's daughter was little. He hoped onto her nightstand and tilted his head, staring at her peaceful, sleeping form.

Then, he let out a loud squawk, and Serena yelped as she suddenly awoke. She became tangled in the sheets of her own bed and fell off, her head hitting the carpet floor as she did.

"Arceus, Fletchinder," Serena grumbled as she sat up, rubbing the back of her head. "You scared me. I hate it when you do that."

Fletchinder shrugged, satisfied that his work was now done. He flitted over to the windowsill and undid the lock with his beak, pushing the door open and taking flight for his morning exercise. Serena growled again, grabbing the edge of her bed for support as she stood up. She brushed her fingers through her hair and pulled out the nighttime bow she wore in it.

She could smell her mother's cooking coming from the kitchen.

Serena didn't bother to change out of her pajamas before she went downstairs. She peered into the kitchen, and sure enough, there her mother was, at the stove as usual.

"Good morning, dear," Grace said, turning her head to look at her daughter, sensing she had arrived. "How did you sleep?"

"You know, I don't think I requested a wake-up call," Serena answered, folding her arms as she slung her weight to one hip. "It's summer now. The semester is over. I should be able to sleep in, _especially_ on my birthday."

"Oh, but if you slept in, then you'd miss out on your birthday breakfast," Grace said. "I made rose-shaped waffles."

Grace gestured for Serena to come, and she begrudgingly obliged. Grace pulled one of the finished waffles out of its maker and transferred it to a plate. She then strategically placed a square of butter where the bud of the rose would be found, and it immediately began to melt.

"Cute," Serena remarked dryly.

"You don't sound very appreciative," Grace half-teased, half-chastised.

Serena let on an exasperated smile.

"I am, Mom," she said, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Thank you."

Grace smiled, too, as her daughter pulled away.

"Go sit down," she said. "I'll bring you a plate."

Serena did as her mother told, plopping down into her seat at the small dining table. A placemat and utensils were already laid out, and two freshly picked flowers stood in a vase as a table centerpiece. Grace placed a plate of two rose waffles in front of Serena, the butter now running through the curves and crevices of the golden petals. She then set down a jar of maple syrup before filling a plate of waffles for herself and sitting across from Serena.

"So, are you doing anything special today?" Grace asked.

"Other than eating your rose-shaped waffles?" Serena replied, retrieving the syrup and pouring a healthy amount onto the said treat.

"Yes, other than the waffles."

"Welll... I'm driving up to Lumiose City to meet up with Clemont and Bonnie," Serena answered. "We're going to have lunch together, maybe go see a matinée. Diantha recently starred in a new movie that I wanted to see, and now I have an excuse."

"Are they getting you anything?" Grace asked.

"Clemont and Bonnie? They'll pick up the tab on lunch, I'm sure..." She trailed off. "I don't need any gifts, though."

"Why not? Twenty-one is a big number."

"Because it's not necessary. There's nothing special about 21." Serena shrugged. "My next milestone isn't until I'm 25. That's when the adult brain is fully developed, or so Clemont says."

"I wouldn't count out gifts just yet."

"You sound like you know something I don't." Serena raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no, I don't."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

Serena didn't believe her, not for a minute. Her mother was not very good at keeping secrets. Still, it didn't matter much to her then as she grabbed her fork and cut into a section of her waffle, taking her first bite.

_**May 22nd, 2009. Afternoon. Opelucid City.**_

"Okay, so you're going to take a left at the next light," Dawn directed, looking at the digital map app that was on her Pokétch, "and then you'll keep going until you reach Club Avenue, which it'll be on."

"All right." Drew listened to her instructions, turning on his left blinker as he came upon the next corner. The two of them were on their way to the Opelucid battle club for their meeting with Don George. The rest of the CIU staff, much of which had now arrived in Unova, were back the newly leased office, unpacking.

"So Don George said he's definitely interested?" Drew asked.

"Yes," Dawn confirmed. "He told me he was completely onboard. He just wanted to talk to us."

"Do we know which Don George this is?"

"Nope."

"Okay then. We'll wing it."

"Right."

Things remained quiet between them for a moment as Drew continued up the street, though the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Dawn folded her arms and leaned back against the headrest, thinking.

"... Drew?" she began tentatively. "Can I ask you a weirdly personal question?"

"You're going to ask me it anyway, so sure," Drew replied, his eyes never leaving the road ahead of him.

"Do you and May ever..." Dawn hesitated. This wasn't an easy topic for her to approach, but she didn't want to let her uncertainty turn the situation awkward. "... go through dry spells?"

"What... kind of dry spells?" Drew asked cautiously.

"I think you know."

"You're right, Dawn, that is a weirdly personal question. Isn't this something you should ask one of your girlfriends? Like, May or Zoey?"

"If I asked May about this, she would get flustered and come up with a million different excuses to escape the situation," Dawn protested. "And Zoey's not in a relationship, or so she says."

"Fair points," Drew conceded. "Well... no, not really. Life and travels sometimes get in the way, but otherwise, our relationship is pretty consistent. Why, are you and Paul having problems?

"Ah, no," Dawn replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It's like you said: Life sometimes gets in the way." She paused, looking out the window. "It looks like we're here."

Drew pulled into the parking lot and quickly found an open space. Dawn stepped out of the car and quickly checked her reflection in the sideview mirror to make sure everything was in place before the meeting.

"This parking lot is nice and large, which is good," Drew commented aloud as they moved across the blacktop. "It means people won't have to worry about purchasing parking if they come to the Q&A event."

"Yeah," Dawn agreed, "that's a plus."

The doors opened automatically when they reached the entrance, and they stepped inside. Although both had seen pictures and watched a tournament or two on television, neither had ever visited one of the Don George Battle Clubs before. Dawn looked around, wondering where they should go, until Drew touched her shoulder and pointed her in the direction of a receptionist.

"Good afternoon," the receptionist greeted them when they approached. "Are you interested in entering our battle matchup system to find an opponent, or do you want to use one of the fields to battle each other?"

"We actually have a meeting with Don George today," Drew informed her.

"Yeah, I'll take care of 'em." Dawn and Drew both turned their heads to see Stephan striding toward them. He grinned and added, "Drew and Dawn, right? You're the friends of Ash who're working to put contests in Unova?"

"That's right," Drew confirmed. "You're... Stephen?"

"Er... Stephan," Stephan corrected. "But, whatever! Any friends of Ash Ketchum are friends of mine! I think we might've met before, though—at Iris's inauguration, and before that, seven years ago when Kyurem was, er, rampaging through the city. Wild day."

"Good memories," Dawn added with a laugh.

"Anyway, I can take you up to where Don George will meet you," Stephan continued. "Just follow me."

He lead them down a hallway, to an elevator that had 'Staff-Only' printed on the doors. Stephan pulled a card key out of his back pocket and slid it through the reader. The doors opened, and he invited Drew and Dawn to step inside first.

"By the way," Drew began casually, addressing Stephan, "would you mind telling us which Don George we're meeting with, if you know?"

"_The_ Don George," Stephan answered, pressing the button to the third floor. "The general manager of the whole battle club chain in Unova. After I told my boss, the Don George that's in charge of the battle club here, about the CIU movement, he thought it was a great idea, and he decided to tell his older brother. I think the rest of the family's excited, too."

Dawn and Drew exchanged quick glances and discreet smiles.

When the doors opened again, Stephan led them further down another hallway before stopping in front of a door.

"Okay, this is it," he said. "Good luck."

Stephan raised his hand and knocked on the door. It opened to reveal the big, burly Don George, and he towered over both Dawn and Drew, though they were fully grown adults.

"Well, what do we have here?" he said in a gruff, though friendly voice. "Let me guess. You—" Don George pointed to Drew. "—are Drew Hayden, the campaign manager for the CIU?"

"That's right." Drew nodded.

"And you—" Don George turned to Dawn. "—must be Dawn Berlitz, the young lady I spoke with on the phone this morning."

"Ah, yes," Dawn answered, smiling nervously. "Pleased to meet you."

"Well, come on in! I've been excited to talk to yeh." He swung the door open, ushering them inside. He then looked to Stephan. "Thank you, Stephan. You can get back to whatever you were workin' on before."

"Will do, Mr. Don George," Stephan said with a beat of his fist against his chest.

Don George closed the door before turning to face Drew and Dawn again.

"Please, grab a seat," he said, before pulling one out from behind his desk, lifting it over his head, and setting it directly in front of the two chairs Dawn and Drew pulled from the wall. Dawn held back a laugh, a product of her estrangement.

"So," Don George began after her at down, leaning his forearm onto his knee, "Mr. Contesta finally decided it was about time to bring contests to Unova, eh?"

"He thought it might be a good time with the change in leadership," Drew replied.

"It'll be a good thing for Ms. Ajagara, that's for sure," Don George said. "That's the kind of thing that defines a legacy, and she needs somethin' to pull 'er up right now. Is she helping you out?"

"Financially, we hope so," Drew answered. "We're pretty sure she will. We want to meet with her soon."

"That's good. It was the Unova League that helped my family first kick off the battle club, as a matter of fact. It was a long time ago, couple years before Alder Ray won his title." Don George paused. "Sorry, got a little off track there. How many contest locations are you lookin' to get?"

"Mr. Contesta said we need at least twelve," Drew said.

"And how many do you want to be in one of our battle clubs?"

"It would be great if we could get at least six."

"Mmm... I think that's entirely doable. We'd have to figure out the logistics, but it's doable." Don George stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "And the other six, you're lookin' to fundraise for them?"

"Yes." Drew nodded.

"Startin' with this Q&A with Top Coordinators?"

"Right," Dawn jumped into the conversation. "We want it to be our big kick-off event, I guess you could say, so we can start getting Unovans interested and hopefully willing to contribute to help get contest halls built."

"And you'd like to hold that here?"

"If possible, yes," Dawn answered.

"How long do you need to put it together?"

"A month would be ideal," Drew said. "Do you have any openings in early July?"

"Hn." Don George frowned. He turned around and grabbed a large, worn planner of his desk. "You see, July's one of our most busy months. Unova's Independence Day, the day we became our own region in Napaj, is on the 4th of July, and the battle club gets a lot of traffic around that time."

"So... later?" Dawn inquired.

"Would you be willing to wait for August?"

Drew pressed his lips into a hard line. Dawn cast him a questioning glance, and he shook his head.

"Do you have anything a little bit earlier, then?" Dawn asked, looking back at Don George.

"Well..." He flipped through the pages of the planner. "We've got June 18th open."

"June 18th ... ?" Dawn trailed off, doing the math in her head. Drew was doing the same.

"Yep." Don George nodded. "Would you have enough time to pull it together before then?"

"Ah..." Drew hesitated.

"For sure," Dawn spoke up, drawing a surprised look from Drew. "No need to worry."

"All right. I'll put the CIU down for June 18th then." He grabbed a pen and scribbled in a quick note. "Are there any other events for the CIU where you'd like to use one of the battle clubs as a venue?"

"Yes, actually," Drew said, recovering. "At some point, I'm interested in organizing a special contest in Unova, so Unovans have the chance to enter one. I'd like for us to actually advertise that at the Q&A."

Dawn blinked. Drew hadn't told her about this.

"So you're gonna need to set a date for that soon, huh?" Don George mused. "Well, while the Opelucid battle club might be busy throughout most of July... We own a decently-sized stadium where we hold the Club Battle Tournament in Nimbasa Town every year."

"That would be great for July," Drew agreed.

"Okay then. I'll put a call into my little cousin and see what the schedule's like down there. Sound good?"

Drew smirked.

"It sounds... great."

* * *

><p>Iris was curled up on the sofa, her eyes attached to the television screen. The Unovan Broadcast News station was covering the arraignment; their reporter, Julia, was outside the courthouse, recounting the details of the assassination attempt two weeks earlier. Hearing the story retold unnerved Iris, though she kept her expression even.<p>

Cilan entered the room, carrying a simple plate of sliced, peppered tomatoes for him and Iris to share. He glanced at the screen before locking his gaze on Iris.

"What are you hoping for the outcome to be?" he asked. Iris turned an eye toward him.

"Can't say," she said. "I'm not even entirely sure what an 'arraignment' is."

"The judge lists the charges, and the defendant enters his pleas."

"Oh... I don't know." Iris looked back at the screen. "I don't know what to think."

"Well, personally-" He stopped short, hearing the door to their living room open and shut. "Was Paul coming today?"

"No." The couple perked up, recognizing the voice. Trip soon appeared in the doorway. "Just his blond rip-off."

"Trip!" Iris beamed.

"What a pleasant surprise," Cilan added. "What brings you here?"

"I want to take photos of Iris watching the arraignment," Trip answered, pointing to the camera hanging around his neck. "I tried to call your cell phone, Iris, but as usual, you didn't answer."

"Sorry," Iris apologized, sounding a little sheepish. "I'm not a tech person."

"I know. I'd have better luck addressing a letter to you, sticking it in a bottle, and letting it drift away in the ocean with the hope that it would one day find you."

"Okay, I'm not _that_ bad at technology." Iris rolled her eyes. "And that doesn't even make sense. There isn't an ocean between here and your apartment."

"Exactly. That should really tell you something."

"Why do you want to take photos of me watching the arraignment, anyway?" Iris refocused the conversation, unraveling her legs so she didn't look so vulnerable.

"Because the public hasn't seen your face in two weeks," Trip replied. "The last set of photos I marked for media release were from your inauguration. Statements and press releases from your office are nice, but I think the outside world would like to see you and not words on a page or screen."

"Believe me, if I could go outside, I would. And by outside, I mean out of the city," Iris said. "In fact, I'd like to crash a bus and fake my death and disappear into the wilderness for four months."

Trip raised his eyebrows, looking toward Cilan.

"She has cabin fever," Cilan explained. "The incident at the inauguration has, unfortunately, limited her ability to leave the building lest she risk her safety. And you and I both know Iris was never meant to stay indoors."

"Yeah," she agreed, grumbling.

"I am, however, considering reconnecting our phone in the next few days," Cilan continued. "It'll have been several weeks since the incident, so I'm hoping the amount of incoming calls will have died off. We can't stay closed off forever."

"Mmm..." Trip hummed. "Well, I come bearing gifts."

"Gifts?" Iris inquired.

"Agent Gray, the woman who's been watching your mail, gave me this and told me to give it to you." Trip pulled a package from beneath his arm and looked at the mail address. "It's from... the Pokémon Inspection Agency?"

"Oh!" Iris's eyes lit up. "I've been expecting that."

She stood up and retrieved from the package from Trip. Cilan furrowed his eyebrows.

"The PIA?" he mused as Iris passed by him. He set the plate of tomatoes down. "Why would the PIA send you a package?"

"Sorry, but what's the PIA?" Trip asked.

"The bane of every gym leader's existence," Cilan said.

"They evaluate gym leaders and gyms to make sure they're up to league standards," Iris added, sitting back down. "I called the one in Unova and asked them to mail me copies of their most recent evaluations."

"You called someone? Amazing." Trip shook his head. "Cilan, why are they 'the bane of every gym leader's existence'?"

"They are not," Iris interjected, scoffing.

"They were for us," Cilan said.

"You and your brothers?" Trip inquired.

"The PIA evaluates gyms in the three areas: safety, aesthetic appeal, and of course, the abilities of the gym leader, or gym leaders. If anything isn't up to standard, the PIA can shut down the gym," Cilan explained. "The PIA comes by at least once a year to perform an evaluation. The safety and the aesthetic appeal are simple enough, but the PIA will often measure the abilities of gym leaders via a battle. They also watch gym leaders' win rates."

"Win rates?"

"Gym leaders are required to keep track of their wins and losses against challengers and report them to the PIA at the end of every month. The PIA then calculates the gym's total win rate," Cilan went on. "The Striaton Gym was always up to standard in terms of safety and aesthetic appeal, but there were a few times our win rate was so low that PIA warned us we needed to pull it up. Between 60 and 70 percent is considered ideal. You don't want your win rate to be too high, either. The goal is to let challengers earn gym badges and enter the league, even if they have to battle and lose against a gym leader multiple times."

"I'm guessing the Striaton Gym's low win rate was compliments of Chili Griffith?" Trip asked.

"Well, I don't want to single any of us out. We all lost battles."

"Uh-huh..." Trip trailed off. "Iris, why do you want the PIA's evaluations?"

"To see the win rates, actually." She tore open the package and pulled out the stack of files inside. "I'm still looking for an Elite Four member, remember?"

Iris thumbed through the alphabetically organized labels until she found the one she wanted. She pulled it out of the stack and began reading through it. Cilan and Trip exchanged quick glances.

"... It seems you already know who you're looking for," Cilan remarked.

"Hm? Well, it's just an option," Iris dismissed. She pulled her legs close to her again.

"Who are you looking at, anyway?" Trip asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Iris smiled wryly.

"I would, actually." Trip attempted to look over shoulders, but she hunched them, so he couldn't see. "Why so secretive?"

"Because-" She stopped short, caught by surprise when Cilan leaned over from the other end and, gently folding the paper back, read its label.

"I. Icirrus Gym. You're looking at Georgia Hamilton?" Cilan sounded and appeared surprised.

"_Georgia?_" Trip appalled. "Your old rival?"

"I know Alder dropped her name when we met with him and Drayden earlier this week, but I didn't think you'd actually consider it," Cilan added. "You and Georgia have... quite a contentious relationship. Even after she helped us that time seven years ago, you two still tended to get rather saucy with each other whenever you met."

Iris frowned, annoyed. She pulled the file close to her chest, so they couldn't read more.

"Leaf said to pick someone who would be willing to disagree with me and not quit," she stated simply. "Georgia would be more than happy to disagree with me, and she would be too stubborn to quit."

"Accountability is something Leaf needs, not you," Trip pointed out.

"I'm capable of making bad decisions," Iris protested.

"I'm not sure that's something you want to lay claim to," Trip countered. "Name one thing you're planning on doing that might require someone to check your power."

"Well..." Iris drawled. "I know I'm planning on supporting Drew and the others in the CIU. We already talked a little bit about it, but he said he needs some time to get things in order before we meet about it more formally, I guess."

"Arceus, Iris, you're out of control," Trip began sarcastically. "How dare you consider bringing contests to Unova, which would increase tourism and boost the economy?"

"Truly a malevolent pursuit," Cilan added with a more playful measure of the same sarcasm.

"Quit it, you two." Iris glowered at them. "The CIU is just one thing. I mean, I'm also adding a G-Men branch to Unova, and I'm going to join Leaf and Paul in figuring out how to... well, fix everything that's wrong with the league and the government. Those are really big things, things that could have a huge impact on not just people in Unova, but everyone in Napaj."

Both Cilan and Trip remained quiet for a long moment. Then, Trip cleared his throat.

"So, what's Georgia's win rate?"

Iris blinked. She pulled the file, now slightly crinkled, away from her to look at it.

"Eighty-eight percent," she answered.

"That's..." Cilan began carefully, "... far too high."

"For a gym leader? Yes," Iris agreed. "For an Elite Four member, though? I think it's exactly what you would want."

_**May 22nd, 2009. Afternoon. New Bark Town.**_

Lyra was surprised when she returned to her apartment, a paper grocery bag in her arms, to find Silver sitting on the sofa and the television screen on. It wasn't that Silver didn't watch television—in fact, he had a guilty pleasure for the animated series, "Proteam Omega," something Khoury also enjoyed, but she had never cared for—but instead of mecha robots on the screen, there was a courtroom.

"What is this?" Lyra asked, setting down the groceries on the table.

"The arraignment for Barret Dunstan," Silver answered shortly.

"Who?"

"The guy who tried to kill Iris Ajagara," he elaborated.

"Oh..." Lyra plopped down beside Silver. He cast her a quick glance before looking back at the screen.

"_This is a case of the region of Unova, Napaj, verses Barret Dunstan. Are you Barret Dunstan?_" the judge began, looking at the defendant above her square glasses.

"_..._" Barret remained silent, his lips pressed into a hard line, the crease along his brow staying firm.

"_Mr. Dunstan?_" The judge's ire showed in her voice.

"_Yes,_" he finally answered.

"_Thank you. Mr. Dunstan._" The judge shuffled through some files. "_Are you correctly named in the indictment with your name spelled correctly?_"

"_Yes._"

"_Would you like me to formally read the indictment/information to you on the record?_"

"_No._"

"_Do you waive formal reading of the indictment?_"

"_Yes._"

"_Would you advise the defendant of the statutory penalties that would apply if he were to be convicted on these charges?_" The judge turned toward the prosecutor, addressing the question to him.

"_Yes, your honor,_" the prosecutor answered.

"_Do you generally understand what you've been charged with?_" The judge turned back toward the defendant. "_How do you plead to Count I, trespassing on a private property?_"

"_Not guilty._"

"_How do you plead to Count II, concealed carry of a firearm without permit?_"

"_Not guilty._"

"_How do you plead to Count III, first-degree attempted murder?_"

Barret was silent for a long moment. He looked directly at the judge, his eyes burning.

"_Not guilty._"

"_Your pleas of not guilty are accepted. This case is scheduled for trial before the Honorable Gina Masayoshi on Thursday, June 11th, 2009._"

Silver picked up the remote and clicked off the television set. Silence hung between them for a long moment. Then, Lyra brushed a loose piece of hair out of her face and said, "You know... you've been more interested in this Iris Ajagara case than I would've thought."

"It was an assassination attempt. It's a big deal." Silver shrugged it off. He stood and headed for the groceries, bringing them into the kitchen. He began to put her purchases away in the fridge and cupboard, an unexpectedly nice gesture from him.

"Yeah, but... I kind of got the impression you don't like the G-Men," Lyra persisted.

"So?" Silver raised an eyebrow.

"Iris's office just announced last week that it was going to bring the G-Men to Unova."

"I know."

"Then what's the deal?" Lyra asked.

"Personally, I don't have a problem with Iris."

Lyra tilted her head, suspicious.

"You make it sound like you know her."

Silver stopped. He looked directly at Lyra, his expression deadpan.

"I don't."

_**May 22nd, 2009. Afternoon. Opelucid City.**_

"Not guilty?" Barry guffawed. "How can he plead not guilty? There are videos and pictures of him going up to the stage with a gun! How's he gonna fight that, huh? I would've tried to take a plea deal if I were him..."

Most of the CIU staff were gathered near the television, the area of which had turned into a type of lounge with a couple sofas and a coffee table. They had spent the morning settling into the office, which Drew had officially leased yesterday. They took a break, however, to watch the arraignment unfold. It had ended several minutes earlier, and now the news commentators were chiming in with their opinions regarding the future of the trial.

"His lawyer will likely argue the intent wasn't to murder Ms. Ajagara," Savannah said.

"If not that, then what?" Grace asked.

"I'm sure he or she will figure it out," Savannah said with a wave of her hand. "Lawyers are very sneaky people."

"I guess that means we ought to keep our eyes on you, huh?" Kelly teased.

"Oh... I suppose so!" Savannah laughed sheepishly.

"_When we return from the break, we'll hear about a Minccino that brutally attacked its trainer yesterday, hospitalizing him with multiple injuries._" The anchor turned back toward the camera, away from the commentators.

"Whoa, now there's something you don't hear every day," Kelly mumbled. "A Pokémon hospitalizing its own trainer?"

"Well, looks like they're done discussing the arraignment." Zoey picked up the remote and turned off the television.

"Wait, wait." Kenny scrambled to stand. "You don't want to hear about the Minccino hospitalizing its trainer?"

"Not particularly, no," Zoey replied dryly. "I've had my fill of bad things in the world for today."

"Have you ever seen a Minccino before, though?" Kenny persisted. "They're tiny little Normal-types! How would it have been able to hurt its trainer enough to hospitalize him? It's like a Pidgey sending an Ursaring to the ICU in the Pokémon Center."

"Oh, you're such a boy," Zoey scoffed, handing the remote back to him, much to his delight. "You know, it's people like you who are the reason journalism has gone downhill."

"Mmm, _sensationalism,_" Ursula hummed. "Barry, you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"

"Hey, don't cross that line." Kenny turned and glared at her. He had just reclaimed his seat and turned the television back on. The commercials were still running.

"Yeah, let's not get into that," May added with a nervous laugh.

"Shh!" Barry abruptly hushed the group, as though he hadn't heard a word of what was said. "It's starting again."

"_Welcome back,_" the anchor began smoothly. "_Unusual story just outside Nimbasa City yesterday morning—a Minccino allegedly attacked its own trainer, Adam Than, in a brutal manner, causing disfigurement to his face as well as several other lacerations requiring treatment at the Nimbasa City Hospital._"

"Arceus," Kenny appalled. "It's worse than I thought. Face disfigurement?"

"That is pretty unusual..." May trailed off. "Gee, and Minccino are so cute. It's hard to imagine one could do something like that."

"They're a pretty tame species, too," Conway remarked. "It's certainly something you wouldn't expect from this type of Pokémon."

"No doubt that poor Minccino was abused," Ursula spat, looking disgusted.

"You don't know that," Brianna said quietly, looking up. She had a sketchpad on her lap, which she had been using to draw throughout the broadcast of the arraignment.

"For it to attack its own trainer like that? Yeah, it was." Ursula maintained her stance.

"It could've been sick," Chaz pointed out. His wife, Janet, nodded in agreement.

"Sick how?" Ursula asked.

"Like, in the head," Chaz elaborated.

"_The Minccino has been quarantined, and it will be sent to a rehabilitation facility, where it will be studied to see what could have prompted the attack,_" the anchor continued. "_Than is recovering this afternoon, and it's expected he will be okay, though he will need facial reconstruction surgery to replace his nose. His family has set up a donation pool online to cover the costs of the surgery. Yesterday, they released a short, minute-long video showing the injuries inflicted upon their son, and UBS obtained a copy of the tape this morning. A warning to our viewers: It is graphic._"

"Okay, I'm leaving..." May paled and looked away when the video began playing. She stood up, smoothing out a wrinkle in her skirt.

"Me too." Tim stood up with her. "This kind of thing makes me squeamish."

As he and May left the lounge area, Dawn and Drew came through the entrance into the office. May's face lit up when she saw them.

"Hi," she cheerfully greeted them. "How did the meeting with Don George go?"

"Really well," Drew answered. "We set—Why is there a man with a missing nose on the television?"

Both May and Tim glanced behind them. Dawn glanced at the screen, too, and squicked.

"Oh... a Minccino attacked its trainer, and we apparently are interested in that," May explained.

"Schadenfreude at its best, I suppose?" Dawn shook her head, clearing her mind of the images.

"What about the meeting with Don George, though?" Tim inquired.

"Right. Big news. We need to meet," Drew said.

"The entire staff?" May asked.

"Yes, the whole staff." Drew pressed through her and Tim, toward the group gathered around the television. "Sorry to break this party up, but Dawn and I just got back from our meeting with Don George, and now I have news more relevant than a Minccino taking off its trainer's nose."

Kenny retrieved the remote again, turning the television off.

"What's up, chief?" he asked. When Drew gave him a pointed look, he quickly and sheepishly said, "Sorry," remembering Drew's aversion to the 'chief' title.

Realizing he now had the full attention of the staff, Drew cleared his throat and said, "I'm pleased to announce that the Don George Battle Club is willing to partner with the APC to host contests, and they have also agreed to provide a venue for our Q&A event."

A happy breath swept across the group, and May asked, "When and where?"

"At the battle club here in Opelucid, on June 18th," Drew answered. "That's the scary part, because June 18th is only three and a half weeks away. That means we have less than thirty days to pull this event together, and it's gonna be a time crunch, but Dawn and I think we can do it. Conway, how soon can we launch the website?"

"It's nearly done," Conway answered, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I just need the logo and other designs completed. Janet and Chaz have the copy mostly written and edited, too."

"Brianna, what's your progress on the logo?" Drew asked.

"Ah..." Brianna fumbled with her sketchbook. "I've got some ideas down, and I think I can have a final logo completed within the next couple of days. Would that be okay, Mr. Drew?"

"That would be great. Thank you." He looked back toward Conway. "After that's finished, we need to set an official date for the website release. Brianna, when you're finished with the logo, please email it to Ursula, too, so she can use it for our Twitter and Facebook profiles."

"Will do, Mr. Drew."

"Zoey, when that website launches, I'm going to need a media release going out the same day," Drew continued.

"It would be better to send a media release the day prior and ask them to hold on publishing until the next day," Zoey contended. "That way, it'll be in the papers when people wake up."

"Yes. Do that instead," Drew said. "Kenny, Barry—I need advertising for the campaign and event lined up same day, too. Which means we're going to need some radio commercials, among other things, written soon, Janet and Chaz. Brianna, after you finish the logo, start designing ads."

"We'll take care of it," Kenny assured him.

"Right," Janet added, and Brianna offered a quick nod.

"Dawn, you know you'll need to schedule the speakers ASAP," Drew said, turning toward her.

"Mhm," Dawn hummed.

"May, we're going to need to talk about how we can staff the Q&A event—if we can get volunteers, or if some of us are going have to pull double duty," Drew went on. "Kelly, you'll need to have the PokéBlock and other things to sell ready by June 18th, and you should talk with Tim about finances. Anthony and Grace, you should also meet to figure out how we're going to manage the event and what resources we're going to need to make sure our guests and speakers are comfortable and safe. Savannah—please make sure we are not breaking any laws."

"Of course!" Savannah said, beaming. The others mentioned also sounded their agreement.

"Okay, I'm assuming you all know what you need to do," Drew said finally. "You should not be bored, and if you are, talk to me, because I'm sure someone will need help somewhere. Are we good?"

"As good as May's soul," Kenny replied.

"All right," Drew breathed. "Then let's get to work."

_**May 22nd, 2009. Afternoon. Indigo Plateau.**_

"Okay, sonny," Charles Goodshow began with a grin, handing Olivier a clipboard and pen. "Just sign this, and you'll be ready to go."

Olivier accepted the clipboard and pen, clicking the round tip as his eyes scanned the one-page contract for a temporary employee of the league. They stood in Leaf's office, in front of the Champion's desk, yet Leaf herself occupied her old seat near the bookcase. After Olivier finished reading, he signed and dated his name at the bottom of the contract and gave it back to Mr. Goodshow.

"Congratulations," Charles said. "You're gonna be reffing for the 2009 Kanto Conference Elite Four matches!"

"It is an honor." Olivier smiled before looking above the old man's shoulder, at Leaf. "Thank you, Ms. Greene, for the opportunity."

"Don't thank me," Leaf said, rising to her feet. "Thank your friend, Ritchie. He recommended you to me."

"Ritchie Jayne?" Olivier inquired, and Leaf nodded. Olivier added, "Really good guy. Talented ref, too, even though he's new in the business."

"Yeah," Leaf let out a short laugh. "Tell that to him."

"All right, Olivier," Charles jumped back into the conversation. "The first match begins at 11:00 a.m. Monday, so you'll be expected to report to the stadium bright and early by 8 a.m. Do you still have the authorization pass I gave you?"

Olivier nodded, pulling it out of his back pocket and showing it to him. Charles had snagged one of the Kanto League photographers to take a portrait of him earlier, and he had printed it out.

"Good. Don't lose that," Charles said. "Take it to Gate 6 on the northeast side of the stadium, where all employees check in. If you run into any issues, you have my number, and you can call me."

"Will do, Mr. Goodshow." Olivier turned to leave. "I'll see you on Monday. Thank you again, Ms. Greene."

He shook both of their hands before heading out of the office. Leaf tilted her head and placed her hands on her hips, letting out a sigh as she watched him go.

"Well, Ms. Greene, I gotta say," Charles whistled, "I think you picked a real winner."

"I hope so."

"You don't like him?"

"No, I like him. He's a pleasant person, and he seems eager," Leaf tacitly replied. "I think those are good signs."

"I agree." Charles nodded. "Well! Gotta get back to work! I'm sure I'll be speaking to you again soon, Ms. Greene." He waved to Leaf before he, too, made his exit. Just after he left, however, Gary came strolling through the same doorway.

"Hey." Leaf sounded pleasantly surprised. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Thought I might drop by." Gary pecked her on the lips before holding out a plastic bag toward her. "I brought you take-out."

"Ugh, you're a lifesaver." She fell back onto the sofa, taking her to-go box and a plastic fork out of the bag. Gary did the same and sat beside her.

"So, did you watch the arraignment today?" Gary asked, mixing his entrée with his rice.

"Nope," Leaf answered shortly. "Been too busy working. What happened?"

"Barret Dunstan plead not guilty to all charges."

"Eh." Leaf shrugged. "I wouldn't have expected anything else. I'm not worried. I don't doubt he'll be convicted and put away for life."

Gary raised an eyebrow.

"Did you finally get your ref?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. Olivier agreed, and he signed his contract." Leaf stuck her fork into a piece of chicken, bringing it to her lips. "Now we'll just have to see if he measures up."

_**May 22nd, 2009. Afternoon. Lumiose City.**_

Serena surveyed the tables when she entered Café Soleil, unsure whether Bonnie and Clemont had arrived yet. She was a few minutes early, and the Liscio siblings tended to be late, if only because Clemont was one of the slowest people Serena had ever met. Yet, she was delighted when she heard Bonnie call her name, and Serena turned toward her voice and saw the teen waving at her.

"Hey, you two!" Serena beamed as she slid into an open seat.

"Happy birthday," Clemont said.

"Thank you," Serena replied, setting her bag down by her feet.

"So," Bonnie drawled, leaning over the table, toward Serena, "how does it feel to be 21?"

"The same as 20, to be honest," Serena answered, letting out a laugh. She picked up her menu, scanning her options.

"How's your day been so far?" Clemont asked.

"It's been pretty good," Serena said. "My mom got me up early for breakfast, but otherwise, it's been a relief to be able to lay back and breathe for once. I'm so glad it's summer and school's out."

"She didn't tell you anything, did she?"

"No." Serena drew out the 'o' sound, craning an eyebrow.

"_Bonnie_." Clemont lowered his voice to a half-whisper.

"What? Just wondering," Bonnie said innocently.

A brief silence fell. Bonnie and Clemont kept their side eyes locked on one another. Bonnie shifted in her seat, while Clemont folded his arms. Serena turned a page in her menu, aware of the sibling standoff but ignoring it.

"Oh come on, Clemont, let's give it to her now!" Bonnie finally exclaimed. "It's dumb to wait until after we're done eating!"

"No, Bonnie, we agreed to give it to her _after_ lunch," Clemont emphasized.

Serena let out a sigh, setting down her menu.

"You guys didn't have to get anything for me," she said.

"No, we _had_ to get this for you," Bonnie insisted.

"We really thought you would love it," Clemont added.

"Love what?"

Clemont mentally stumbled, realizing his error. He cast a quick glanced at Bonnie, who was smirking. Clemont frowned and sighed, but eventually smiled, too. He turned to reach into one of the outer pockets of his Clemontic Gear.

"Well..." he began slowly, carefully, "_I_ wanted to wait to give you this later, because I wasn't sure how you'd react, but..."

He pulled a square, white box out and laid it in front of Serena.

"... Happy birthday!" Bonnie excitedly finished.

"Go ahead. Open it," Clemont prodded.

Serena put on a hesitant smile as she reached for the gift. It had no ribbon; only a lid. So, she was easily able to open the box and see there were a total of six tickets inside.

"Oh..." Serena breathed in sharply. "Oh, you guys... Are these ... ?"

"A trio of plane tickets to Kanto and passes to the Indigo Conference Elite Four matches?" Bonnie finished for her. "Yup! They are! We thought it might be fun to spend the summer there and see Ash compete!"

"I can't believe this." Serena shook her head before a grin spread across her face. "How did you even afford this?"

"Your mom chipped in," Clemont admitted. "So this gift is partially from her, too. But, seeing how excited you and Bonnie were after Ash won the Indigo Conference, it gave me an idea. I knew your birthday was coming up in a month, and when I told your mom and Bonnie about it, they were ecstatic."

"So it was your idea?" Serena asked.

"Well..."

"It was completely his idea," Bonnie answered for her brother, knowing he would try to brush it off or only take partial credit.

"Clemont..." Clutching the box in one hand, Serena leaned across the table and kissed him on the cheek, causing him to turn pink. "Thank you! To both of you."

"I-It was nothing," Clemont stammered, trying to shake off the affectionate gesture. "We're glad you like it."

"Have you told Ash yet?" Serena asked.

"Nope!" Bonnie proudly declared. "We thought you might want to do it when you guys talk tonight!"

"Wow, this is..." Serena let out a nervous laugh. "This is great. I'm really excited! The last time I was in Napaj was when I was still a kid, and I loved it then."

"That's when you met Ash, isn't it?" Bonnie asked.

"It is," Serena answered, nodding.

"Good afternoon, miss." The waiter swept by, coming to attend to Serena. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

"Oh!" Serena picked her menu back up. "Sorry. I got distracted, and I forgot that I still need to figure out what I'm ordering... Gee, I don't even know if I can eat anymore!"

Clemont let on a exasperated smile.

"And _this_ is why I wanted to wait until after lunch," he said.

_**May 22nd, 2009. Evening. Pallet Town.**_

"Oh Ash, you don't have to do that," Delia scolded when she walked into the kitchen and saw her son washing the dishes they'd used for dinner that evening. "You worked hard training all day. I don't expect you to do chores."

Ash winced, but he didn't step away from the sink.

"Sorry," he apologized, grinning sheepishly. "Just tryin' to make things easier for you and Mimey. I need to go in a few minutes, and I don't want to leave a mess."

"Go?" Delia blinked. "Why?"

"It's Serena's birthday," Ash explained. "I told her the other day I'd call her around 3 p.m. her time, and that's about fifteen minutes away our time."

"Serena... She's the cute Kalosian brunette you traveled with several years ago?"

"That's her," Ash affirmed. "She's 21 today."

"Well, then you ought to get moving!" Delia pushed her son away from the sink, back into the living room. Pikachu and Mimey, who were both chatting on the sofa, halted their conversation and looked toward their trainers. "It's rude to be late!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going!" Ash laughed. He snatched his hat off the table and firmly placed it back on his head. Pikachu offered Mimey a quick goodbye in PokéSpeak before climbing onto Ash's shoulder.

"I love you," Delia told him. "Be safe on the walk home."

"I love you, too, Mom," Ash said, nodding. "And don't worry, I will."

He headed toward the door before giving his mother one last last wave. He then slipped outside and trotted down the steps of the porch, out into the dirt roadway.

Ash's favorite thing about Pallet Town would forever be the lack of street lights. At night, the roads were lit solely by the lights of homes lining the path and the moon and stars above. He slid his hands into his pockets and tilted his head toward the speckled sky. No, he didn't think he could ever live anywhere else. As much as he loved traveling to big cities all over the world, nothing else would ever be home.

Ash kicked a rock down the road. He reached into his back pocket for his key as he reached his bungalow, unlocking the front door. He flicked on the lights as he stepped inside, and then headed toward the video phone nestled in the corner. Pikachu hopped onto his trainer's lap as Ash pressed his finger to the list of numbers he'd printed and taped to the side of the cubicle. He scanned it, finding the one labeled 'Serena.'

He was surprised, however, when the video phone began ringing before he could even dial—an incoming call from the Lumiose City Gym. Ash furrowed his eyebrows and pressed the button to receive the call. Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie's faces appeared on the screen.

"Hey, you guys!" Ash reeled back, though he grinned.

"_Hi, Ash!_" Bonnie beamed back at him.

"I was actually just about to call your home, Serena," Ash said. "Guess it's a good thing you called first, 'cause I wouldn't have thought to ring up the Lumiose City Gym."

"_Right, sorry,_" Serena chuckled apologetically. "_I decided to have lunch with Clemont and Bonnie today._"

"_And we gave her something really cool!_" Bonnie added.

"_Bonnie, don't brag..._" Clemont gently chastised.

"_It is really cool, though!_" Bonnie huffed.

"What is it?" Ash asked.

"_Tell him, Serena!_" Bonnie encouraged.

"_Ah... well..._" Serena began shyly. "_The three of us have tickets to fly to Kanto on Sunday._"

"_And passes to see you battle the Elite Four in the Indigo Stadium!_" Bonnie excitedly added.

"What?! No way!"

"_Yes way!_" Bonnie grinned. "_We're gonna see you win the Championship title in person!_"

"This is great!" Ash exclaimed. "Wow, I feel like I haven't seen you guys in forever, and to know you'll be watching in the stands... Agh, it pumps me up!"

"Pika!" Pikachu chimed in, agreeing. He was just as excited their Kalosian friends were visiting.

"_We're looking forward to it, too,_" Clemont said.

"Oh man... I can't wait to introduce you to the others... Gary, Ritchie... Misty..." He added Misty's name carefully, suddenly sounding unsure. He hadn't seen or spoke to her since the night of Gary's thesis.

Serena's smile diminished, but Clemont and Bonnie remained unfazed.

"_Really? Do you think they'd want to meet us?_" Bonnie asked.

"Oh, for sure!" Ash snapped out of his brief spell of introspection. "They'd love you guys. Man, if only the whole gang was here... I'd love for all of you to meet."

"Y-Yeah," Serena replied, tucking a wave of her hair behind her ear.

"_Well, if you win the Championship, then you can throw a big party! And you can invite everyone, including us!_" Bonnie suggested.

Ash laughed before saying, "You guys are getting my hopes up really high."

"_And why shouldn't they be high? Go big or go home!_" Bonnie's Dedenne popped out of her purse, tittering in agreement.

"_Don't let anything other than victory be an option,_" Clemont advised. "_Then there's no way you can lose._"

"I'll keep that in mind." Ash paused, tilting his head. "Serena, you okay? You've kind of been quiet."

"_Oh! I'm fine._" Serena perked up, forcing a smile. "_I'm still recovering the shock, actually. It was only an hour or so ago that Clemont and Bonnie gave me the tickets..._"

"Yeah, I get that," Ash chuckled. "I'm probably gonna need some time to recover, too. Anyway, happy birthday. It'll be cool to tell you that in person when you come out here."

Serena let out a short laugh.

"_I look forward to it, Ash Ketchum._"

_**May 22nd, 2009. Evening. Icirrus City.**_

A scowl crossed Georgia's face when her phone rang. She had only just arrived back home twenty minutes earlier, and she was comfortably sprawled across her sofa, watching reports of Barret Dunstan's arraignment and a Minccino that that had taken off its trainers nose, among other things on the 24-hour news network. Nevertheless, she muted her television and grabbed her cell phone to answer the call.

"Hello?" she half-grumbled.

"_Hi. Is this... Georgia I'm speaking to?_"

Georgia furrowed her eyebrows. She recognized the voice.

"Yes... Iris?"

"_Yes, this is her._"

"Well, how are you doing, Madam Champion?" Georgia sat up, wearing a smirk on her face. "Anyone try to shoot you today?"

"_No, not today._" Iris didn't sound offended.

"Why are you calling?" Georgia dove straight to the point. She wasn't in the mood for chit-chat, especially not with Iris.

"_Well, I was looking at your PIA file earlier..._" Georgia felt a chill run through her spine at the mention of the PIA. It was never a good thing to hear about the PIA. "_...and I was just wondering if you and I could maybe meet sometime soon to discuss something. Monday at 3 p.m.?_"

Georgia pressed her lips into a hard line.

"Yeah. Monday at 3 is fine," she said curtly.

.

.


	6. V: In Which Wallace Follows Suit

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.

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Chapter V: In Which Wallace Follows Suit

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_**May 25th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"The event is Thursday, June 18th," Dawn explained over the phone, pulling her legs closer to her as she sat on the couch. "Our guest speakers will show off an appeal when the event begins at 7 p.m., and then we'll transition into a Q&A session. ... The only other speakers who have confirmed with me so far are Nando Libert and Abby Neill, so you would be the third. We're trying to get two more."

Paul overheard Dawn's conversation as he wandered out into the conjoined kitchen and living room. He headed for the cupboard and retrieved a box of cereal.

"Yes, the CIU will pay for the cost of flying and the hotel," Dawn affirmed. "... Really? You'll do it? Thank you do much! It's really an honor. ... Yes, we'll keep close contact. I'll talk to you later. Goodbye, and thank you again."

"Who was that?" Paul asked after the call ended, now heading for the the fridge.

"Robert Schemmel." Dawn stood and joined him in the kitchen.

"Who's he?"

"A four-time Top Coordinator from Hoenn," she answered. "We're really lucky to have him actually. Winning a Top Coordinator title once is incredible, but four times? His name alone will draw in a huge crowd for sure."

"And the other two?" Paul pulled out both a carton of orange juice and of milk.

"Nando and Abby?" Dawn inquired. "You know Nando. He won the Lily of the Valley Conference in 2005, I think? And he also has a Top Coordinator title from Sinnoh in 2006. So, it'll be cool to have his voice on the panel, because he's also a competitive trainer. As for Abby, she's a doctor who runs her own clinic in Hoenn, but she's legendary because she became Top Coordinator in her first season of competing, and then quit. I was actually surprised when she accepted; I thought Drew wasn't being realistic when he said he wanted her on the panel, but admittedly, he was right, and I was wrong."

"Who else are you hoping to get?" Paul got out a cup and bowl, filling the latter with cereal.

"Solidad and Harley."

"Mmm. I should have expected that," he said, now pouring himself a glass of milk. He then reached for the orange juice. "I would have thought they would have been the first to confirm, considering how close Solidad is with Drew."

"Me too," Dawn admitted. "I haven't been able to talk to either, though. They're probably just out of town. I'm not too worried about it. ... Paul, do you realize you're pouring orange juice into your cereal?"

"What?" Paul glanced down and uttered a short string of expletives, which was then followed with, "Not again."

Dawn laughed aloud as he took his soiled bowl of cereal to the sink and dumped it out. She added, "Wow, I would not have expected you of all people to have a May moment."

"Is that what we're calling them now?" Paul mumbled. "I was distracted talking to you."

"Yeah, speaking of which, you've never talked to me about the CIU until now."

"Well, I do have a vested interest in it succeeding," he said, washing out the bowl before starting again. "For Iris, and for you."

"For me?" Dawn blinked.

"You don't think I want to see you do well?" Paul craned an eyebrow.

"It's hard to tell sometimes." When he glowered at her, Dawn added, "That's a joke, Paul. Don't look so offended. I'm glad you care."

Paul said nothing. He retrieved a spoon and, leaning back against the counter, took his first bite of his newly prepared breakfast. Dawn, too, leaned back against the counter parallel to him, watching him carefully.

"You know," she began anew, "the CIU staff is getting together at the office to watch Ash's match with Will this morning. We'd love it if you came."

"I'll pass," Paul grunted.

"Are you watching it with Iris and Cilan instead?"

"No."

"Then why? It's not like you'd be out of the place. Drew, May, Barry, Kenny—they're all your friends. Even you and Zoey get along a lot better than you used to." Dawn sighed before adding, "I'm not trying to nag you. I'm just concerned, that's all."

"Concerned... how?" Paul asked flatly.

Dawn stayed silent for a moment, considering how she should approach this conversation.

"You're a reserved person. There's nothing wrong with that. I know you and I sometimes clash because of differences in how outgoing we are, you being an introvert, and me being an extrovert. I'm not saying you need to transform into a social Beautifly or anything like that," she prefaced. "But... I think you've been more withdrawn than usual lately. I don't know how you're acting around Iris and Cilan, because I'm not there. But I do know how you're acting around me."

"What are you getting at?" Paul lowered his hands.

"_Is_ something wrong?" Dawn asked, saying each word carefully, but firmly.

"... No."

"See, you tell me nothing's wrong, but I can very much feel that something is different," Dawn persisted. "This last year has been..."

"So, you think something is wrong?" Paul sounded annoyed now. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just the Champion now."

"Exactly. You're the Champion, and I think it's been really hard on you."

"Nothing's wrong."

"Paul..."

"_Nothing's wrong with me,_" Paul snapped, speaking more firmly. Dawn reeled back. Silence fell as Paul looked down into his bowl of cereal, scrapping together another spoonful.

"... Anyway, I can't go to the CIU office because I'm finally going to take a look at some of the reports my G-Men agent have been collecting from the local police agencies around here," he continued.

"Reports about what?"

"Team Plasma," Paul answered. "My agents have been combing through things, but... I want to see what they've found for myself. I've been busy trying to help Iris pull her new G-Men and Elite Four together that I haven't had the chance to look into the assassination more. But, since Iris hasn't decided on her new chief for the Unova division yet, I have some time."

"Well, good luck," Dawn said tacitly. "I have to go get dressed, so I can be to the CIU office in time for the match to begin."

She turned to leave, but hesitated. She changed her mind and reached up to kiss him. He still leaned in to kiss her back, and Dawn knew at least that was something with which she could work.

_**May 25th, 2009. Morning. Indigo Plateau.**_

'Iris and I wish you the best of luck in today's match. We'll be watching.'

'You're gonna be great! You have the CIU's full support!'

'Knock em dead today, Ash.'

Ash scrolled through these messages on his phone, which he had all received from the friends who couldn't be there that day—Cilan, May, Stephan, among many others, had all sent him support prior to when his match was supposed to begin that morning. He'd also heard encouraging words from those who could vocalize them, from Gary, Brock, Ritchie, and happily, his Kalosian friends whom had arrived in Kanto in the late afternoon yesterday by plane.

Ash exited his inbox to check the time. Sixteen minutes left.

He was back in the same waiting room in which he'd spent time before his final match in the Indigo Conference. He had only recently separated from his in-person supporters to go into the backstage area, and he was trying to calm his nerves. Ash didn't understand. He was excited prior to the last match; now, he was nervous. He wanted everything to fall into place, win or lose. He wanted to make sure Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie's trip to Kanto was well-worth it. He wanted to honor the hard work his Pokémon had put into training. He wanted things to be normal again between himself, Misty, and Leaf.

He glanced at the clock on his phone again, and then at the door. No one came through it. Pikachu looked up at his trainer understandingly, and he touched Ash's hand with his paw.

She wasn't going to come this time.

Ash snapped out of his thoughts at Pikachu's touch, and he grinned at his partner.

"Don't worry," he told him. "We're gonna win today. No matter what."

* * *

><p>Misty gazed dully out at the empty field from the Champion Box, counting the minutes down as she occasionally checked the clock on the wall. There were still several minutes left until the match began at 11 a.m.<p>

The Champion Box was more sparse than usual that day, with Will making last-minute preparations for his battle and Paul and Dawn in Unova. The other regulars—Lance, Gary, the unoccupied Elite Four members, and of course Leaf—were present, but the reduced crowd made the room feel emptier than it should have been.

"You've been quiet," Leaf commented, approaching Misty and standing beside her.

"I don't have anything to say," Misty replied, shrugging. "Your boyfriend hasn't even made any snide comments I can roll my eyes at."

"Sorry, I'll try harder," Gary spoke up from where he was sitting. He was on his PokéPad, scrolling through his newsfeed. True to her word, Misty rolled her eyes and looked back out at the field.

"Are you worried?" she asked after a moment, addressing Leaf.

"I don't know. Should I be?"

"Not about anything I've done, at least," Misty replied. "I've followed everything by the book since the last match, like you asked."

"That's a plus." Leaf smirked before adding, "And won't it be grand for you when he's finished with the Elite Four matches?"

"Thursday can't come soon enough," Misty agreed.

"Assuming Ash makes it that far," Lance groused. "Watch your biases, Misty. You have two other fellow Elite Four members present with matches over the next few days. Don't discourage them."

"It's no matter, Lance," Lorelei politely dismissed.

"Yeah, really," Gary added. "It's more... assuming the ref does a good job, eh Leaf?"

"Well, now I'm worried," Leaf grumbled, shaking her head.

"I thought you liked Olivier?" Lance inquired.

"I do, but I still would've wanted Ritchie," Leaf replied.

"Perhaps you can convince him during the month-long break between the Elite Four matches and the Championship match." Leaf snapped her head up in surprise and turned to see that Wallace had stepped into the room. Seeing Lance's piercing gaze, Wallace added, "Granted, if there is a Championship match."

"Wallace," Leaf began, blinking. "I didn't know you were going to be here today."

"I came to Kanto to take care of some business," Wallace explained. "I apologize for not letting you know in advance."

"Don't worry about it," Leaf said with a wave of her hand. "Is Winona with you?"

"No," Wallace answered, shaking his head. "She stayed in Hoenn to continue managing her gym in Fortree City. She doesn't like leaving it unattended; being away for Iris's inauguration earlier this month was enough for her."

"Well, we're happy to have you," Leaf said.

"Thank you." Wallace found an empty seat in the front row, only a couple feet away from Lance.

Leaf made eye contact with her former mentor and discreetly mouthed the words, "Did you know something about this?" Lance gave a noncommittal shrug in response and turned away. Leaf straightened up, giving him a strange look. She would have hoped, knowing him for more than a decade, that she had figured out how to tell the difference between when he was lying or hiding something from her and when he was just being Lance (was there a difference?), but she was still at a loss.

* * *

><p>Serena stifled a yawn, turning her head away from her companions as she pressed her hand to her mouth.<p>

She, along with Clemont and Bonnie, were sitting in the upper deck of the stadium, in the front row. While they were far away, they had a great view of the entire battlefield. She wasn't sure how Clemont had managed to snag such excellent seats. In fact, it was arguable their seats were better than those of Ash's other friends, whom they had met briefly that morning to see off Ash, but they separated as soon as Ash departed. His other friends were on the lower deck. Serena was grateful for that; they seemed nice enough, but she felt it would have been uncomfortable without Ash standing in as their sole connection.

"Tired?" Clemont asked with an amused smile.

"I'm still adjusting to the time difference," Serena admitted.

"Not surprising," Clemont said. "It's almost 5 a.m. in Kalos right now. We'd normally be getting up in several hours."

"Well, I'm not tired at all!" Bonnie proudly declared. She was pressed against the railing, and she threw her head back to speak to her brother and Serena with a grin. "The stadium is full of so much energy... so I'm full of energy!"

"Bonnie, you're always full of energy," Clemont said.

"What time is it?" Bonnie asked, ignoring her brother's comment.

"It's..." Clemont flicked his wrist over to check his watch. "It's 11 a.m. now, so it should be starting any-"

"_-Good morning all!_" The stadium PA kicked on, and the large video screen showed an old man dressed in a purple snapback and red sweater speaking into a microphone from the announcer box. "_My name is Charles Goodshow, and I'm the general manager of the Napajian Pokémon League. On behalf of the Indigo Elite Four, I'd like to welcome all you in the stadium and viewers watching 'round the world to the first match of 2009 post-Indigo Conference Elite Four Battles. Are you ready for a good show?_"

The stadium audience erupted into uproarious cheers.

"Kind of weird for them to call it a show..." Clemont remarked.

"His last name is Goodshow," Serena pointed out. "I think it's supposed to be a pun."

"_And my name is Rodger Gates, and I'll be your commentator for today's battle._" The screen shifted to a middle-aged, brown-haired male. "_On our left is the mysterious long-time member of the Elite Four, a Psychic-Type specialist, here's Will Pino!_"

Will sashayed into view, and he was warmly (and loudly) accepted by the stadium.

"_And to our right, the winner of the 2009 Indigo Conference, it's Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!_"

Ash stepped onto the field, too, with Pikachu faithfully stationed on his shoulder.

"There he is," Clemont said, smiling.

"Go Ash!" Bonnie screamed over the railing, causing both Clemont and Serena to wince.

Once both trainers were in their designated boxes, the ref, Olivier, cast glances between both of them and asked, "Trainers, are you ready?"

"Of course," Will said graciously.

"Oh yeah," Ash agreed. He bumped fists with Pikachu before the Electric-type jumped to the ground beside him.

"Then begin!" Olivier declared.

"Join me in battle, Grumpig!"

"Krookodile, I choose you!"

Both of the opposing Pokémon appeared on the field. Grumpig stomped one of its hooves against the ground in anticipation, and Krookodile snapped its jaw before raising its head up high, attempting to intimidate his opponent. Grumpig was unfazed, despite the difference in size and imposing appearance of Krookodile.

"_Our first matchup: Krookodile versus Grumpig,_" the announcer said. "_Grumpig has long been a staple of Will's Psychic-type team, but we have yet to see Ash's Krookodile in action!_"

"Krookodile?" Bonnie blinked. "I didn't know Ash had one of those..."

Serena pressed her lips together as she reached into her purse, pulling out her Pokédex.

"_Krookodile, the Intimidation Pokemon,_" the machine recited. Clemont and Bonnie leaned over Serena's shoulder to listen. "_Krookodile never allow prey to escape. Their jaws are so powerful, they can crush the body of an automobile._"

"The Krookodile in your Pokédex looks different," Bonnie remarked. "Ash's is wearing... sunglasses?"

"Sounds like classic Ash, for him and his Pokémon to go against the grain," Clemont chuckled. "But, Krookodile is partially a Dark-type, so it's a good choice against a Psychic-type like Grumpig and, more to the point, a trainer that specializes in Psychic-types."

"You may have the first move, Mr. Ketchum," Will graciously offered.

"Thanks." Ash grinned. "All right, Krookodile, use Dig!"

Krookodile immediately burrowed into the soft earth.

"_And Ash begins by turning this into an underground battle!_" the announcer said. "_What will Will do?_"

"Bide your time, Grumpig," Will said calmly. Grumpig nodded, keeping his feet firmly planted. Will kept his eye on the battlefield, and when the earth began to rumble, he quickly ordered, "Now, use Protect!"

As soon as Krookodile burst from the ground, Grumpig's defensive forcefield appeared. Krookodile's head slammed into the shield, and he fell back.

"Grumpig, use Signal Beam now that Krookodile's close!"

Before Krookodile could stand or Ash could think to tell his Pokémon to dodge, Grumpig's multi-colored beam of light hit Krookodile squarely in the chest, pushing him further across the field. He fell flat on his jaw as the light faded.

"This is bad." Clemont frowned. "Bug-type moves are super effective against Dark-types."

"Krookodile, are you okay?" Ash called out. Krookodile was still on the ground, and Olivier was carefully watching, counting down the seconds.

"_Krookodile looks like it's in a rough spot! Can it pull through?_"

"Come on, Krookodile," Ash encouraged. "I know you can get up!"

Krookodile gritted his teeth and, slamming his clawed hands against the ground, staggered to his feet. Olivier nodded; the battle would continue.

"_Amazing! Krookodile is still able to battle!_"

Will raised his eyebrows, surprised Krookodile was able to stand after the direct hit it suffered. Grumpig frowned, but it didn't allow itself to become deterred.

"Okay, now use Crunch!" Ash ordered.

Krookodile immediately charged toward Grumpig, and Will ordered his Pokémon to dodge. Grumpig tried to jump out of the way, but Krookodile clamped down onto Grumpig's tail, prompting a high-pitched squeal from the Psychic-type. Krookodile threw its head back, holding firm to Grumpig, as it swung it around once, twice, before letting go of the tail, causing Grumpig to soar into the wall.

"Grumpig!" Will called out in concern. Yet, when the dust cleared, it was obvious Grumpig had been knocked out-cold. Still, Olivier waited a measured amount of time before making his call.

"Grumpig is unable to battle, so Krookodile is the winner!" he declared.

The crowd, which included the Kalosian trio, burst into cheers. Ash pumped his fist into the air with a "Yeah!", and Krookodile lumbered back to his trainer to celebrate. Will recalled Grumpig.

"Excellent work, my old friend," he said, speaking to the Pokéball. He then looked toward Ash, considering whom he should pick next.

"Ash has the upper hand!" Serena said excitedly, and Clemont nodded.

"One down, five more to go," he added.

_**May 25th, 2009. Late Morning. New Bark Town.**_

Silver brushed his fingers through his damp, red hair as he dropped his towel down to his shoulders. It was nice to be in a place where there was running water again. Yet, he also knew if he stayed too long, he would become spoiled, and it would be more difficult than needed when he inevitably left again. Silver hung the towel on the rack and reached for his shirt, wincing when he pulled the fabric over his head; the hot water had rendered certain areas of his skin sensitive.

Downstairs, he found Lyra humming to herself as she sliced up some apples in the kitchen. The television was tuned into the post-Indigo Conference matches, and Lyra occasionally looked up to see what was happening.

"I didn't know this was today," Silver said, stopping to watch the screen. Lyra blinked, turning her head to look at him.

"Yeah," she said, nodding. "First match of the Elite Four Battles."

"What are the standings?"

"Both sides are down to four Pokémon. Will recently knocked out Ash's Torkoal with his Slowbro," she answered. "I'm really pulling for Ash, though."

"You know Ash?" Silver raised an eyebrow.

"Well, _everyone_ knows Ash after that whole conspiracy with the G-Men way back," Lyra replied flippantly, "but, yes, I know him personally, too. We met before that whole thing happened, while I was traveling in Sinnoh with Khoury. I'm actually closer friends with one of his gal pals, Dawn. She's currently dating the Sinnoh Champion, Paul Rebolledo."

"You haven't told them about me, have you?"

"No. Why would I?" Lyra laughed. "That would be a weird conversation. 'So, there's this guy I know named Silver, and I met him after he stole a Pokémon from Professor Elm, and now he randomly shows up at my house sometimes to stay there for a month or two before disappearing again for an indefinite amount of time.' I think they would be very concerned about my life choices."

"Well, if you worded it that way, they would be," Silver grumbled.

"Why are you so concerned whether I would've told them about you or not, anyway?" She paused, remembering that Silver had said he went to see the Indigo Conference, but he hadn't explained why. "... Do you know Ash?"

A brief silence followed as Silver stared at her.

"No," he finally said, shaking his head. "It's like you said. Everyone knows Ash Ketchum after what happened seven years ago."

A round of cheers erupted in the stadium on the screen. It was now 4 vs. 3. Ash's Bayleef had knocked out Will's Slowbro.

_**May 25th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

Paul kept the volume on his television low, and he only checked the screen every time he heard the audience's softened cheers, knowing it meant either one of Ash's Pokémon or Will's Pokémon had fainted. Otherwise, he spent his time clicking through the PDF files Agent Gray sent to him in a .zip package. Each file detailed a police report in which the mysterious Team Plasma was involved. All the reports through which he'd read shared a similar story: theft or attempted theft of Pokémon for the "greater purpose" of liberation.

Paul barely glanced up when Agent Gray entered the room, carrying a large box in her arms. She laid it on the coffee table before him, and Paul's lip twitched into a frown.

"What are those?" he asked.

"More reports," Agent Gray answered. "Some of the police stations in Unova are not digital-first yet. So, I asked them to to mail me copies."

A low growl emerged from the back of Paul's throat, annoyed by inconvenience. He set aside his laptop, plucking one of the paper files out of the box.

"Wasn't it lack of digital efficiency that nearly ruined the G-Men the first time?" he grumbled. "That's what Cynthia said."

"It was." Agent Gray nodded.

"Were you around then, Angela?" Paul raised an eyebrow.

"It was my first year, Mr. Rebolledo," she answered. "I was 21. The incident with Team Rocket was what propelled all the divisions to finish the transition to digital reporting, Sinnoh included."

Paul's lips tightened, and he averted his gaze. He wasn't aware she had been in the organization that long, long enough to see the conspiracy unravel from the inside.

"... I'm sure you have some interesting opinions about the Champion lineup then," he said.

Agent Gray was silent for a long moment. Then, she said, "I understand the G-Men's politics well, sir. If I didn't, I would have left with Cynthia."

Paul didn't know how to feel about that answer. He flicked open the yellow folder, scanning through the police report inside. Again, it dealt with theft. Paul sighed, closing the folder and tossing it onto the table.

"Maybe Cilan was right," he said. "Maybe Team Plasma being anti-league is the only reason one of their members tried to assassinate Iris..."

"Is there something wrong with that conclusion?" Agent Gray asked.

"No, but..." Paul trailed off. "I don't claim to be an expert, but I would think the larger organization would want to lay claim to the crime if the intention was to make a statement about 'Pokémon Liberation' or whatever their ridiculous mantra is."

"Perhaps they didn't because Barret Dunstan's attempt failed?"

"I guess," Paul said. "You've been monitoring Iris's mail, right?"

"Yes."

"And you haven't found anything?"

"No." Agent Gray shook her head. "I haven't screened her calls, though. Did anyone attempt to call her?"

"The public number for her office, the Opelucid Gym, has been disconnected for weeks," Paul said. "And her and Cilan's private cell phone numbers are just that: private. As if Iris ever answers her cell phone anyway."

"So we wouldn't know then?"

"No." Paul retrieved his laptop again. "I guess it doesn't matter, though. I can't find any crime worse than stealing in these reports. So, maybe Barret Dunstan acted alone, not under the instructions of some Plasma higher-up..."

"Well..."

"Well?"

"There is this one case..." Agent Gray reached into the box, thumbing through the files until she found the one she wanted and handed it to Paul. "Two years ago, a young man named Oscar Soul was hospitalized after an encounter with some members of Team Plasma. According to him, they did not try to steal his Pokemon. It was an attack; he was treated for a stab wound in his left shoulder, inflicted by one Plasma's Pawniard."

"His left shoulder?" Paul asked, and Agent Gray nodded. "Then they were aiming for the heart, which would..."

"Kill him, yes."

Paul furrowed his eyebrows. He opened the file, quickly reading through it.

"Will you run Oscar Soul's name through our system?" he asked.

"Already done."

"And... ?"

"No results."

"What does that mean?"

"Either he isn't registered as a trainer in Napaj, or he's registered under a different name," Agent Gray explained.

"Great," Paul mumbled sarcastically. He looked up toward the television when he heard another round of cheers. He hadn't been paying much attention to it while talking to Angela, but Ash now had two Pokémon while Will had one.

"Well done, Ketchum," Paul said.

* * *

><p>"Noo!" Barry let out a dramatic cry and flopped against the couch when Ash's Greninja went down, meaning the battle was now 1 v. 1. The air in the office was tense. While Ash had started out with the upper hand, Will had battled back and brought the match to equal ground once more. His Gardevoir had taken no damage, and Ash had saved Pikachu for his last Pokémon.<p>

"A little Pikachu verses the elegant power of a Gardevoir?" Ursula sneered as Ash sent Pikachu onto the field. "He's finished."

"Don't underestimate Ash's Pikachu," Dawn said.

"Pip-lup!" Piplup agreed with his trainer, his tone half-chastising Ursula for doubting his old friend.

"Yeah, Ash can still win!" May added.

"If he's lucky," Conway said, smirking.

"_Okay, Pikachu, let's start with Quick Attack!_" Ash called the first move of the final matchup.

"_Teleport, Gardevoir._"

Before Pikachu could make contact, Gardevoir vanished. Pikachu was visibly surprised as he skidded across the ground, into nothing. Gardevoir reappeared behind Pikachu.

"_Now, Gardevoir, use Focus Blast!_"

"_Quick, Pikachu, behind you!_"

Pikachu whipped he head around to see Gardevoir, and he barely managed to dodge the Focus Blast attack. In the CIU office, several audible sighs of relief were heard among the staff.

"_Let's try Electro Ball this time, Pikachu!_" Ash ordered.

"_Use Teleport once more, Gardevoir._" Again, Gardevoir disappeared before Electro Ball could hit it.

"This isn't good." Kenny frowned. "None of Ash's moves are connecting."

When Gardevoir appeared behind Pikachu again, Will quickly said, "_Gardevoir, use Charge Beam!_"

Pikachu was unable to dodge this time, and the bolt of electricity hit him directly. Yet, Ash smirked, causing Will to appear alarmed.

"Ouch." Kelly winced. "That's got to hurt."

"Don't be so sure," Drew said.

"What do you mean?" Kelly asked.

"Ash's Pikachu is kind of special," May explained. "It tends to get charged up when it's hit with Electric-type moves."

"_All right, Pikachu, now use Thunderbolt!_" Ash ordered.

Pikachu, whose cheeks were now sparking with extra electricity, unleashed his attack. There was nowhere on the field to where Gardevoir could escape the overwhelming show of power, and the screen briefly turned blank. When the field became visible again, Gardevoir had dropped to one of her knees, having taken a lot of damage.

"_Now use Iron Tail!_"

"_Teleport, Gardevoir!_" A hint of desperation was in Will's voice. Yet, Gardevoir was too weak to muster up the energy needed to Teleport, and Pikachu's now silver-colored tail hit the Psychic-type squarely on the head. Gardevoir fell back, out-cold.

"_Will's Gardevoir is unable to battle, so the victory goes to Ash!_" Olivier declared.

May let out a high-pitched squeal before promptly slapping her hand over her mouth. She was joined with other happy cheers and a few disbelieving utterances of "_What?_"

"I knew Ash had this in the bag," Kenny said, bumping fists with Barry.

"It was a lucky break," Conway dismissed. "Will made a mistake in using Charge Beam. Ash's Pikachu obviously has the Lightning Rod ability, which draws Electric-type attacks and raises Special Attack when hit by one. If Will had known that, he wouldn't have used Charge Beam, and Ash would have lost."

"Ash's Pikachu's ability is Static," Dawn pointed out.

"But-"

"-Make as many excuses as you want, because all I saw was a good strategy on Ash's end. Ash knows his Pikachu, and saving Pikachu for Gardevoir, one of Will's strongest Pokémon who happens to know an Electric-type attack? It sounds to me like Ash did his homework, for once," Drew said.

"But the big question is, did he do it for the other three Elite Four members? He has to win against all of them in order to face Leaf... and that's when things will get _really_ interesting," Zoey said.

"True," Drew conceded. "Also, as much as I hate being a wet blanket, now that the match is over, we should get back to work. The website launches Friday, and we still have things we need to finish before then. Send your congratulatory messages to Ash, and then do what you need to do."

"Got it, chief," Kenny said, saluting him.

"Kenny, when will you learn?" Drew glowered at him.

The last thing that appeared on the screen was Ash shaking Will's hand before Barry turned it off. May pulled her cell phone out of her bag and, casting Drew a quick glance, said, "I'm going to tell Ash we watched and that we're super happy for him, m'kay?"

"All right," Drew chuckled, before turning his attention to Dawn, who had approached him looking as though she had something to say.

"Hey, I have news," she told him, Piplup in her arms. "Robert confirmed this morning."

"That's great."

"But-"

"-There's always a but, isn't there?" Drew wore an exasperated smile.

"-I still haven't been able to reach Solidad or Harley," Dawn finished.

"Really?" Drew raised an eyebrow.

"It goes straight to voice mail every time I call," she explained. "I've left messages but haven't heard back yet."

"Hmm..." Drew intoned, thinking. "Well, I'll tell you what: I'll worry about getting in contact with Solidad and Harley if you work on getting a meeting scheduled with Iris."

"Are we ready to talk with her?" Dawn asked.

"We should be. I'd liked to meet before Friday's launch," Drew said.

"Well, that should be easy enough," she said with a wave of her hand.

"Her office phone is disconnected, and I don't know when she and Cilan are turning it back on," he warned. "And she's slower than Ash when it comes to responding to messages left on her cell phone."

"Oh, I know. Iris and technology do not go together." Dawn smiled wryly as she balanced Piplup on her hip, pulled out her own cell phone, dialed a number, and pressed it to her ear. "That's why you call her _husband_."

* * *

><p>"Well, it looks like Leaf's got a legitimate threat on her hands," Trip remarked, watching the television screen as Ash was greeted by a horde of reporters following the end of his match. He was sitting with Iris and Cilan in their living room, having watched the battle with the couple that morning.<p>

"I'm not sure if Leaf thinks of Ash as a threat," Iris said thoughtfully.

"We'll see if that's still the case if he faces off against her," Trip said dryly.

"I mean, I'm not sure she's afraid to lose to him, so he's not a threat in that way," Iris clarified.

"Ash winning the Championship title via the post-Conference matches would be a huge step for the G-Men and league, because he would be the first to do it since Alder. That is, the first not to be chosen since Alder," Cilan added. "I think Leaf realizes that. Paul said she's been enforcing her league's impartiality policy and was spending a lot of time looking for a good referee. But..."

"But?" Trip asked.

"We don't know if Leaf really wants to give up her Championship title this soon," Iris continued. "Paul and I aren't sure what she hopes will be the outcome of all this. Maybe she doesn't know herself."

The conversation was cut short when Cilan's phone rang. Iris reached for the remote and turned the volume of the television low while he answered.

"Hello?" Cilan inquired. "Why, good morning, Dawn. It's always a pleasure to hear from you. ... Of course, I understand." He chuckled before holding his cell phone out to Iris. "It's for you."

Iris blinked in surprised and hesitantly accepted the device.

"Hi? Dawn?" Iris asked, pressed it to her ear. "... You're ready to meet? Yes, of course, I'd love to talk to you guys! ... Okay, we can meet before your website launches. I'm free all day Thursday. Would you like the morning or later? ... Sure, 11:00 a.m. would be fine! Cilan will be teaching at that time. I'm excited to see you guys! Bye-bye."

When she hung up and handed Cilan's phone back to him, he said, "So, the CIU movement is officially beginning?"

"On Friday, yup!" Iris replied.

"Unrelated, but I find it funny that even Dawn knows she has a better shot of talking to you if she calls your husband first and not you," Trip said.

Iris let out a nervous laugh before exchanging a quick glance with Cilan.

"Maybe... it's time we turned the office phone back on," she admitted.

_**May 25th, 2009. Noon. Slateport City.**_

Solidad's head rose when she heard the familiar ringtone of the 'match call' feature on her old PokéNav. She was in the middle of spreading some mayonnaise on her sandwich bread, but she set her kitchen knife down and went to find her traveling bag. She dug through the pockets and found the device, but raised an eyebrow when she realized it was Drew calling.

"Good afternoon, Drew," she said, answering.

"_Glad to hear you're still alive._"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"_Dawn said she hasn't been able to get in contact with either you or Harley._"

"Oh. Blame that on Harley," Solidad sighed. "He got really drunk Friday night and ran into the ocean with both of our phones, screaming some nonsense about government corruption and his struggles getting a date."

"_It sounds like there's a longer story behind this._"

"There is." Solidad returned to her unfinished sandwich.

"_Do I want to hear it?_"

"Probably not."

"_Then I'll pass on listening to this latest installment of Harley's misadventures._"

"A wise choice."

"_Is he at least sorry?_"

"Harley is never sorry." Solidad shook her head. "We're getting new phones tomorrow. I was in need of an update anyway."

"_Getting anything fancy?_"

"I was thinking about the new Xtransceiver, but I don't know. I'm not sure about wearing my phone on my wrist," Solidad answered. "I still think Devon Corp. makes some really solid PokéCells. I like the ones you and May have."

"_They work well._"

Solidad smiled and, putting her sandwich on a plate, meandered toward the sofa.

"So," she began, changing the subject as she sat down, "what did you call for?"

"_Right. Is Harley with you?_" Drew asked.

"He's somewhere." Solidad lowered her PokéNav and rose her voice to call for the said coordinator. "Harley, will you come into the living room?"

"I'm in the bath, hun!" Harley's distant voice called back.

"Drew wants to speak with us."

"Well, I don't want to speak with him!"

"Harley, put on a bathrobe and come out here." Solidad lifted her PokéNav again. "He's coming. Still, what's this about?"

"_Remember when I said I had some things in mind for for you and Harley when Contesta first told me about putting contests in Unova?_"

Solidad's lips twitched into a smile. She took a bite of her sandwich.

"I do, as a matter of fact," she said.

_**May 25th, 2009. Afternoon. Opelucid City.**_

"Hello, my name is Kenny-" He stopped short and made a face. "Oh. Another automated machine."

May cast Kenny a curious glance as he began impatiently tapping his fingers on the desk, waiting and listening to the robotic voice on the other end of the line rattle off extension numbers.

"Who are you calling?" she asked.

"The Goldenrod Radio Tower, to place an ad," Kenny answered, pulling his phone away to press a number. "I've been getting the run-around, though. I'm trying to figure out how much- oh hey, a human!" He stumbled, correcting himself. "Hi, my name is Kenny Hudson, and I'm wondering if I could get a quote for how much it would cost to air a commercial during DJ Mary's talkshow. ... When? Well, uh, I know this is last-minute, but we'd like for it to start airing this Friday. ... It's actually for a special event in Unova. You see, this hasn't been publicly announced yet, but the APC is working to establish contests in Unova, and our launch is Friday."

He pressed his lips together, listening.

"Oh, I understand. ... Wha-? Okay," he agreed, looking a little disgruntled.

"What's up?" Barry glanced up. He'd been calling around, too, also trying to place some ads in various places.

"The guys I'm talking to said their advertising schedule is full and has a waiting list, but he's apparently putting me in contact with someone who might be able to help us..." Kenny explained. He perked up when the other line picked up. "Hi, my name is Kenny- _DJ Mary?!_"

Kenny abruptly stood up, knocking over his chair, which drew a couple stares.

"Yes! Yes, the Contests in Unova thing is 100 percent real; we call ourselves the CIU. Our official launch is Friday, and on June 18th, we're hosting a Q&A thing in Opelucid City with Top Coordinators. We wanted to air a commercial during your show to help get the word out," Kenny explained hurriedly, clearly flustered. "... You'd do that for us? Wow, thank you!"

People in the office we're not beginning to flock toward Kenny's desk, curious what was happening.

"It, uh, like I said, is June 18th in Opelucid City. It begins at 7 p.m. in the Opelucid Don George Battle Club, but doors open at 6 p.m.," Kenny explained, getting ahold of herself. "The Top Coordinators speaking..." He cast a desperate look toward Dawn.

"We have three confirmed: Robert, Nando, and Abby," she said.

"Correction. Five confirmed," Drew interjected, making his way into the circle that had gathered around Kenny's desk. "I just got off the phone with Solidad and Harley."

"We have five Top Coordinators on the panel," Kenny said, returning to his conversation with Mary. "Robert Schemmel, Nando Libert, Abby Neil, Solidad Natochenny, and Harley Rannells. ... Uh, yes, we're gonna have a donation pool, too!" Kenny was now looking at Kelly and Tim; Kelly quickly pulled out her phone, searching for the URL to give him.

"Sure, sure! I can just email that and all the other information to you, too," Kenny said, now gesturing for Kelly and Tim not to worry about it. He snatched a ballpoint pen, carefully writing the email down. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to our cause. Thank you."

As soon as he hung up, he breathed, as though in awe, and said, "Wow, I can't believe I just talked to _DJ Mary._"

"I didn't know you were a Mary fan, Kenny," Dawn teased.

"Who isn't?" Kenny scoffed. "What wouldn't a guy give for the chance to take her out on a date?"

"I don't know," Barry said, shrugging. "She isn't my type."

"Shut up, Barry." Kenny glowered at him.

"Yeah, and neither is a certain someone named Kyle," Ursula added with a derisive laugh.

"You too, Ursula," Kenny said, now glaring at her.

Ursula shrugged him off, adding, "Anyway, Mary's too old for you. She's in her early 30s now. She also has a history of mostly dating women, not men, and definitely not boys like you."

"Okay, let's get to the important point of this conversation, which is: What is Mary doing for us?" Drew asked.

"Since the radio stations commercial schedule is booked, she's gonna talk about the CIU and the Q&A event _on her show_," Kenny answered. "For _free_."

"Ah!" May clapped her hands together happily. "That's great!"

"No kidding. I guess they're serious when they say she's the sweetest woman in radio," Zoey added.

"In other exciting news, we have a meeting with Iris on Thursday at 11 a.m.," Dawn said.

"Oh good," Drew breathed. "We needed that."

"Yeah, speaking of which, can we all come along?" May asked. "I mean, not the entire CIU staff, but... _us_." She made a sweeping gesture toward Dawn, Zoey, Kenny, Barry, and Drew. "Iris has been locked up inside her gym because of that whole craziness with her inauguration, and we've been so busy with the CIU that we haven't really seen her, and that's silly, because we're friends, and we're in the same city for once!"

"I'd be down for seeing Iris," Kenny said.

"Me too," Barry agreed.

"I don't have a problem with it," Drew said, shrugging. "Everything's on track."

"Yeah," Zoey chuckled. "We'll see how long that lasts."

* * *

><p>The moment Cilan reconnected the office phone, it rang.<p>

Iris winced, exchanging unsure glances with both him and Trip. That wasn't a good sign. Cilan gave Iris a questioning look, and she understood his silent inquiry of whether he should simply pull the plug again. But, she shook her head and, sucking in her breath, reached for the receiver.

"Hello?" Iris began tepidly. Trip sat down, and Cilan leaned against her desk, carefully watching her.

"_Good afternoon,_" a male on the other side of the line said. "I_ would like to make an appointment with Iris Ajagara._"

"You're speaking with her now."

"_Ah. It is an honor, Ms. Ajagara,_" he continued. "_My organization has been trying to get in contact with you for weeks._"

"Your organization?"

"_My apologies. My name is Elijah, and I work for SAMPLe, a start-up rescue and research organization for Pokémon._"

"SAMPLe?" Iris hesitated, not knowing what to do or how to respond. She supposed a meeting wouldn't hurt. At least it wasn't an interview; she was still unwilling to do one of those. "Um, when do you want to meet?"

"_Would this Thursday be acceptable to you?_"

"Uh, sure! I've got another meeting at 11 a.m., but we could meet before or after!" Iris said.

"_Before would be preferable. I have a flight in the afternoon._"

"Maybe... 10:30 a.m.?" Iris suggested.

"_That would be excellent. Thank you, Ms. Ajagara._"

Iris blinked in surprise when she heard a click. He'd hung up. She pulled the receiver away from her ear, looking at it in confusion. She had meant to ask why he wanted to meet with her, but she was stripped of the chance.

"What just happened?" Trip asked.

"I just made an appointment," Iris replied, still staring at the phone.

"With whom?" Cilan inquired.

"Uh... someone named Elijah from SAMPLe?"

"What's SAMPLe?" Trip raised an eyebrow.

"He said it was a start-up that rescues Pokémon," Iris explained.

"I've never heard of it." Trip shook his head.

"Well, yeah, it's a start-up," Iris said dryly.

"Iris, you can't make appointments with unknown organizations like that," Cilan said worriedly.

"Why not?"

"Because you don't what the intentions of said organizations are."

"I do know, though," Iris insisted. "SAMPLe is a rescue. You don't have to get all wound up about this, Cilan."

"It would put me at ease if you would at least have Paul or Agent Murray around," Cilan continued. "I'll be at the PCA campus for class at that time, so I won't be able to be there myself..."

Iris frowned, pouting.

"Fine," she huffed. Suddenly, she felt another spell of lightheadedness, and she stumbled.

"Iris?" Cilan sounded alarmed, and Trip turned tense too, as though he were about to spring out of his chair to catch Iris if she fell over. Cilan quickly laid a hand on her shoulder and wrapped a stabilizing arm around her. "We really ought to take you to a doctor."

"I'm okay," Iris dismissed. "I just woozy there for a moment."

"Let's at least get you something to drink before Georgia comes, okay?" Cilan gently prodded, and Iris nodded before he began to lead her out of the office.

* * *

><p>"May I see your ID, miss?"<p>

Georgia as stopped at the doors to the former Opelucid City Gym by a large, somewhat burly man. She recognized his face; he was one of the Sinnoan G-Men agents acting as security at the inauguration. She supposed she should have known they would still be around, considering what happened.

"Here." Georgia reached into her wallet and pulled out her driver's license. She felt as though she were trying to get into a 18+ club, which was laughable in the middle of the day.

"Ah. Georgia Hamilton," he said, handing her ID back to her. "Ms. Ajagara has been expecting you."

"I know," Georgia said dryly.

"There's an elevator across the field that will take you to the second floor," the agent went on, stepping aside. "Her office is down the hallway to your right."

"Thanks," Georgia mumbled, pushing the doors open and heading inside.

Georgia had been to the Opelucid Gym multiple times before then, but she could never get over how strange and dark the field was. The lighting always aired on the dim side, and the statues of Dragons against the four walls cast long shadows across the room. Georgia thought the atmosphere was far more fitting for Drayden than it was Iris, though both specialized in Dragon-types. At least the office and living quarters were far less eerie; there were plants everywhere, which was probably Iris and Cilan's decorative touch.

Georgia pressed the 'up' button on the elevator and stepped inside when the doors opened. She then pressed the button for the second floor and leaned against the bar to her left. The doors on the opposite end of elevator opened, and she headed out and down into the hallway.

The door to Iris's office was open. Yet, when she poked her head inside, she only saw Trip; no Iris.

"Come in," he half-mumbled, noticing her. "Iris'll be back in a couple minutes."

Georgia raised an eyebrow as she meandered inside.

"What, are you her secretary now, too?" she sassed. "Talk about a package deal: bodyguard, receptionist, and photographer all rolled into one. I hope she pays you well."

"I'm just her photographer," Trip corrected.

"Then where's your camera?"

"He was just here to watch the post-Indigo Conference matches with us today." Iris appeared in the doorway behind Georgia. "He doesn't work _all_ the time."

Georgia cast a glance over her shoulder at Iris, and their gazes briefly connected. Iris moved forward, around Georgia, and toward her desk.

"And now I think I'll escort myself out," Trip sighed as he stood and headed for the door. He shut it behind him.

Iris and Georgia waited in silence for a short moment. Then, Iris cleared her throat and said, "You can sit down."

Georgia did so, but said, "I know why you called me here, so let's just get straight to the point."

"You do?" Iris blinked.

"Yes," Georgia answered, folding her arms. "I know my win rate is too high. The PIA has been on my case about it already. I don't need you telling me I need to bring it down, too."

"I'm not here to harp on you about your win rate."

"You're... not?" Georgia sounded suspicious.

"No. I liked your win rate, actually."

"... Why?"

Iris hesitated, briefly averting her gaze.

"Well," she began slowly, "I'm sure you've heard by now that I'm looking for a new Elite Four member..."

Georgia stared.

"Excuse me?" she finally said.

"Ah, I'd like for you to replace Grimsley in the Unova Elite Four," Iris said, deciding to be upfront.

"Are you crazy?" Georgia laughed.

"You're a good trainer," Iris insisted, annoyed that Georgia didn't seem to be taking her seriously.

"Okay, sure," Georgia conceded. "But my win rate doesn't tell you that. It actually just shows I'm an asshole who doesn't like to lose. I barely temper myself against less-experienced trainers, unlike Elesa and other gym leaders who actually stay inside the PIA's golden range."

"I think it might be good to have an asshole who doesn't like to lose in the Elite Four."

"Is this a joke? Am I being filmed right now?" Georgia asked with an amused smile.

"No, it's serious," Iris said, still irate.

"Did literally every other gym leader in Unova turn you down or something?" Georgia continued. "I guess I wouldn't blame them, but still. I can't imagine why you would want _me_ of all people in _your_ Elite Four."

"I have my reasons."

"This ought to be good." Georgia crossed one leg over the other. "Let's hear them."

Iris mentally stumbled, looking at Georgia with wide eyes. Yet, Georgia only made a quick gesture with her hand, maintaining her invitation.

"Um..." Iris paused, thinking. "Well, do you remember that time seven years ago, when you helped my friends and I out?"

"Uh-huh..."

"I promised you that if you helped that I would be in your debt. This is a part of paying you back."

Georgia scoffed.

"That's a stupid reason," she said. "Try again."

"What do you want me to say?" Iris asked, exasperated.

"The truth," Georgia answered, shrugging.

Iris let out a frustrated breath of disbelief. Then, a short laugh.

"Fine, the truth," she said. "You said you wouldn't blame the other gym leaders if they turned me down. Why is that?"

"You're avoiding the topic," Georgia pointed out dryly.

"Just answer the question. And be honest."

Georgia was silent for a long moment. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes, suddenly appearing a little uncomfortable.

"You really want me to be honest?" she asked.

"Yes." Iris nodded.

Georgia inhaled sharply through her nose before she began to answer.

"You don't..." She was slow, and her tone took a more serious turn. "... deserve your title."

"I agree."

"What?" Now Georgia sounded confused.

"I agree, I don't deserve it," Iris clarified. "There was some... pressure to accept. A lot of people who aren't super close to the league don't see it, but there are a lot of things that are kind of backwards up here. My nomination kind of showed that, because it was really badly done. But... Leaf and Paul—my friends—we're here because we want to try to fix all the backwards things."

Georgia listened intently, not sure what to make of what she was hearing. She was still caught off guard Iris had admitted she didn't deserve the title.

"As... interesting as this is," Georgia began after a moment. "It still doesn't explain why you want me to be your new Elite Four member."

"Leaf said I needed someone who would hold me accountable and not quit," Iris explained. "I thought you'd fit the bill."

"Oh." Georgia's mouth formed a round shape. "So... you actually _are_ looking for an asshole for your Elite Four."

"Yeah, kind of," Iris half-laughed. "Do you accept or not?"

Georgia smacked her lips, considering it.

"You know," she said with a smirk, "why not?"

_**May 25th, 2009. Late Afternoon. Indigo Plateau.**_

"Well, I must say, Ms. Greene," Mr. Goodshow began cheerfully, bounding beside Leaf, who was wearing an uninterested expression, "I think today's match went spectacularly! Just great! Olivier was an excellent choice."

"Yup," Leaf said shortly. She had recently arrived back at the headquarters for the Indigo League and G-Men, and she was grumpy because Gary had left to celebrate with Ash and company, while Misty had returned home for the evening. Even Lance had disappeared following the match. To where, Leaf didn't know. But, it meant she was forced to endure Mr. Goodshow's company.

"Did you like him?" Mr. Goodshow persisted. "I liked him. He was very fair."

"He was," Leaf tacitly agreed as she headed into her office. She had no reason to be there, but she planned to make up some excuse about work, so Charles would leave. As it turned out, she didn't have to. Lance and Wallace were sitting inside.

"Uh, hi?" Leaf greeted, confused. She cast Mr. Goodshow a pointed look, and he finally got the hint.

"I'm sure we'll catch up later, Ms. Greene," he said, stepping back out into the hallway. Once he was gone, Leaf turned back toward the two other men.

"So, are we finally going to talk about Lance's serious drug addiction?" she asked.

"Very funny, Leaf," Lance said drolly.

"But really, what are you two here for?"

"Something that no longer involves me." Lance rose to his feet and brushed past her. "I'll see you tomorrow, Leaf."

Leaf's bottom lip twitched and she turned her head to watch him leave, suspicious. She then looked back at Wallace.

"So, what's your excuse?" she asked.

"There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"Yeah, I figured as much," Leaf replied, claiming the seat Lance previously occupied. "I'm guessing this is the business you were talking about this morning?"

"Yes." Wallace nodded.

"Mhm," Leaf hummed. "What's up?"

Walllace was silent for a moment.

"Winona wants to begin having children soon," he started.

Leaf raised an eyebrow.

"Congratulations," she said. "You don't have to ask me for permission to go off birth control."

Wallace chuckled and said, "Well, you see, it's not that simple. Winona does not want me to be Champion for when we start a family."

Leaf's expression fell.

"Oh," she said more quietly. "I see. Then this is about looking for a replacement."

"Indeed," Wallace affirmed. "Drake is retiring for the Hoenn Elite Four soon, and I plan to replace him with the new Champion and keep him or her in the Elite Four for a year or two before I step down."

That wasn't as bad as Leaf thought. He would still be around for a while, long enough to oversee a more proper nomination for a new Champion, unlike what Alder had done for Iris.

"Who do you have in mind?" Leaf asked.

Wallace briefly paused.

"What do you..." he began carefully, "... think of Drew Hayden?"

If Leaf had been eating or drinking, she would have choked.

"_What?_" Her voice pitched a note higher. "Are you serious?"

"He has a bright mind and is a talented trainer," Wallace offered as a short explanation.

"He's also a coordinator," Leaf sputtered.

"So am I."

"You're different," Leaf dismissed. "You were a gym leader, too."

"Are you suggesting coordinators are somehow inferior to competitive trainers?"

"No, but..." Leaf shook her head. "Okay. I'll bite. Drew's qualified in the sense that he could hold himself in league matches. Just because he could be Champion doesn't mean he should, or even would, though. In fact, I'd venture a guess and say he's -20 percent interested in being Champion, and he'd give his weird little judgmental look if you approached him on it. He's working for Contesta right now to put contests in Unova, and when he succeeds, he's going to land a nice job at the APC, which is what he's always wanted. Pursuing him as a candidate would be a waste of your time."

"Are you sure?" Wallace politely contended. "He recently graduated with a degree in political science. That, to me, suggests some interest in our field."

"It doesn't," Leaf disagreed. "He went into political science for the same reason Zoey went into journalism."

"That is?"

"To make sense of what happened," she said, and a tense silence fell. Leaf cleared her throat after a bit, continuing, "Zoey and Drew don't take things at face value. They were some of the first to figure out there's some truth to what Silver said."

"What Silver said?"

"There's a reason Trip and Ritchie and Barry eventually stopped competing," Leaf replied. "Those four months pulled back the curtain on the G-Men, and Silver was a part of that."

"Ash Ketchum still competes," Wallace calmly pointed out.

"And thank Arceus he does," Leaf half-laughed. "They're all watching me, though. In fact, you and Lance and all the other former Champions are watching me, too. You, Drew, Zoey—all of you want to know what's going to happen when Ash and I face off for the Champion title." Leaf stopped, realizing she was getting off-topic. "Trust me, Wallace: Drew wouldn't touch the Championship seat with a 10-foot pole. He gets how the G-Men works, and he's not impressed."

"Then what do you think about May Maple?"

Leaf's mouth ran dry. That's when it clicked in her head.

"Wallace... you don't _have_ to pick one of us," she said. "You don't have to pick someone from our group."

"Lance would disagree, and so would I," Wallace replied. "The current Champion lineup is constructed so it can be united, which is what your predecessors and I evidently could never be."

"We don't _need_ to have May, though. It literally could be anyone else, as long as they're an agreeable person. Like, don't replace yourself with another Lance."

"I disagree again. Anyone else would be an outsider."

"What do you mean?"

"You, Iris, and Paul are friends," Wallace said bluntly. "The fifteen of you, in those four months together... you created a special bond, a connection. You're all still close after seven years. How could anyone else hope to fit in?"

Leaf was silent. She had nothing to say in response to that.

"Would May do it or not?" Wallace pressed the question when it became apparent she wasn't going to argue with him further.

Leaf opened her mouth and closed it again.

"Maybe," she finally said.

_**February 23rd, 2003. Early Evening. Goldenrod City.**_

"Wow, I can't believe it's been a _whole_ year since we came back," May commented, nibbling on her slice of pizza. She was just one of fourteen—_the_ fourteen—trainers sitting in a poorly-formed circle in a hotel room. Several now half-empty pizza boxes laid scatted among them.

"Well, not quite a year yet," Drew, who was sitting beside her, corrected. "The interview is being filmed in _advance_ of the anniversary. When it airs on March 6th, it'll have been a year."

"Yeah, I'm still not sure how I feel about being interviewed by Pokémon News National," Zoey said, reaching for another slice.

"You've been on TV before. You're a coordinator," Paul pointed out.

"It's different. Coordinating is a performance," Zoey said.

"And this isn't?" The trainers turned their heads to see Leaf had slipped into the room, carrying a stack of papers in her hands.

"Hey," Gary greeted, "where've you been?"

"Lance wanted to see me. He wanted me to give these—" Leaf pointed to the papers. "—to all of you." She then handed the stack to Gary, indicating he should pass them down the line.

"What are these?" Ash asked, blinking when he received his copy.

"It's a written account of our journey," Leaf explained. "We're to review them so we can keep our story straight."

"Our story straight?" Trip raised an eyebrow. "We know the story. We were all there."

"There are some revisions," Leaf hastily said.

"_Revisions_? You can't revise the story; it already happened," Trip objected.

"Well, what kind of revisions are they?" Misty asked, trying to be reasonable.

"It's changed so Silver and I are cut out of the account," Leaf answered.

"What?" Ash frowned. "But you guys are important. What happened wouldn't have even been possible without you and Silver."

"You guys _knew_ I wasn't going to be a part of the interview," Leaf reminded.

"True, but..." Cilan began tepidly as he flipped through the pages. "I mean... I'm just skimming, but it seems there's no mention of any G-Men agent at all in here. I would have thought your identity would be obscured, but that you wouldn't be shredded from the account entirely."

"Lance wants to protect me," Leaf said.

"How so?" Ritchie inquired.

"It's about my future," Leaf answered as though it were obvious. "Going against the orders of the Indigo Champion looks bad in the trial of public opinion."

"Yes, bad for Lance," Drew argued. "This isn't about protecting you. This is about preserving the reputation of the G-Men."

"No, it _is_ about protecting me. Preserving the G-Men's reputation does help me," Leaf snapped, though she didn't elaborate on why. "And others, too."

Iris winced, and Paul cast her a wary gaze.

"By others, you mean Silver, right?" Iris quickly interjected.

"Yes." Leaf went with it.

"Protect Silver?" Kenny sounded unsure. "Why should we protect him? After what happened with Ash, and him letting out those Team Rocket members..."

"Kenny," Dawn gently chastised.

"Hey, wait," Ash jumped in. "You don't understand-"

"-Because while you might think Silver stabbed us in the back, you have to remember there are still former Team Rocket members out there who feel the same way about themselves," Leaf began sharply, cutting Ash off. "The difference is they'll kill him for it. We—the G-Men—won't. Take note of _that_, Drew."

Drew looked annoyed, but Ash spoke again before he could.

"But Silver didn't betray us," he insisted. "He let out Jessie, James, and Meowth because they saved me."

"We've heard this before, Ash," Paul grumbled. "You can't deny it's suspicious, for Silver to disappear with them."

"We don't know if he went with him," Dawn pointed out.

"We don't know if he didn't," Paul retorted. "And we still never figured out where the Unova base is..."

"Plus, why would Silver go through the effort of releasing those three if his reasoning was because they saved Ash?" Cilan inquired. "Lance could have cleared them once the circumstances were clarified."

"Lance wouldn't have done that. Are you kidding me?" Gary rolled his eyes.

"Even so, Silver had no reason to leave. He had to have known Leaf would have been in his corner," Cilan persisted. "She didn't do anything that would suggest otherwise."

Leaf's chest tightened. Gary raised his eyebrows, watching her.

"Well, he's always been distrustful of the G-Men," Leaf dismissed.

"Maybe because the G-Men _is_ a little questionable," Zoey said, tapping the packet in her hand.

"Stop it," Barry growled. "Stop fighting, or I'm gonna fine you all."

Silence fell, and a few people shifted uncomfortably from where they sat. After a few moments, Zoey started again.

"I didn't come here to advance the interests of the G-Men," she said, tossing her packet toward the middle of the circle. "Isn't this interview supposed to be about giving the truth? Isn't that what journalism's about? I don't want to be a part of another conspiracy."

"You're not a part of another conspiracy," Gary said wryly. "You're just stuck in the same one, and you're gonna be stuck in it for a long time." His gaze passed over Leaf, Iris, and Paul. "So you might as well play the part. It'll help your friends in the long run."

"Yeah, I get it, Silver," Zoey mumbled.

Gary shook his head.

"I wasn't talking about Silver."

_**May 25th, 2009. Evening. Indigo Plateau.**_

"Could I have a sip of that?" Bonnie asked, pointing to Gary's drink. "It looks _really_ good."

Gary blinked, glancing at the half-empty glass of an alcoholic beverage he had ordered earlier.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"17."

"Eh." Gary shrugged, pushing it toward her. "Close enough."

Clemont intercepted the drink before Bonnie could reach for it, causing her to pout.

"Thanks," he said with a nervous laugh, "but Bonnie knows better than to drink underage, especially in a public restaurant."

"I don't know what the legal age in Kalos is, but it's 18 here," Gary said.

"I know." Clemont nodded. "It's the same in Kalos. I'd just hate for us to get thrown out and ruin Ash's celebratory dinner."

Ash looked up from his meal and offered a grin.

"Yeah..."

"Who are you facing tomorrow?" Serena asked, her finger twirling the straw in her drink.

"Karen," Ash answered. "She trains Dark-type Pokémon. And then it's Lorelei, who trains Ice-types."

"And finally Misty, right?" Bonnie asked, perking back up. "She's your friend, isn't she?"

"Oh yeah, Misty and I go _way_ back," Ash said.

"Why isn't she here then?" Bonnie continued. "I'd like to meet her! She must be a super strong trainer if she's an Elite Four member!"

"She is!" Ash insisted. "But... she and I haven't been able to hang out for a while, just so things stay fair when we battle. Last time we went out to dinner together was for when Gary passed his thesis, but I guess it would be weird now since we're celebrating my win over another Elite Four member..."

"That seems a little dramatic," Clemont said. "You not hanging out at all because of the matches, I mean. Even if you might face off..."

"Leaf is being very particular about making sure things are done right, so there are no questions asked if Ash wins the title," Gary explained. "Never been to Kalos, so I don't know how the league there works, but I'm guessing it's better since you guys, you know, have a president that's separate from the league."

"You don't?" Bonnie asked, surprised. "Who makes all the laws and stuff then?"

"The Champions, technically. They really don't, for various reasons." Gary shrugged.

"That's... odd..." Clemont frowned, adjusting his glasses.

"Backwards is more like it," Gary corrected.

"Isn't your girlfriend the Indigo Champion?" Serena asked.

"She is, and she's well-aware of how 'odd' it is," Gary replied.

"Oh!" Bonnie suddenly grew starry-eyed. "How long have you been together?"

"Seven years. She, Ash, and I have known each other since we were kids, but we didn't get together until after we came back from the dead." He stopped, looking at the Kalosian trio thoughtfully. "Sorry, did you guys hear about that?"

"Yeah, we heard," Serena let out a nervous laugh. She then quickly changed the subject. "Seven years straight?"

"Pretty much. We've had fights, and we've broken up several times, but never for very long," Gary said.

"That's so cute!" Bonnie gushed. "Are you going to get married?"

"Bonnie," Clemont chastised, embarrassed.

Gary laughed it off.

"Maybe," he said.

"Wait, really?" Ash sounded surprised.

"All I said was 'maybe.'"

"Well, you wouldn't be the first of us," Ritchie remarked. "We'll see if you beat May and Drew to the altar, though."

"Who are May and Drew?" Serena tentatively asked.

"Ah, they're a couple of friends from Hoenn," Ash explained.

"They were also a part of our mass funeral," Gary added.

"Oh. I see." Serena forced a quick smile. Yet, as the conversation carried on, she slowly began to sink into her chair.

.

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	7. VI: In Which Georgia Makes a Break

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Chapter VI: In Which Georgia Makes a Break

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_**May 28th, 2009. Late Morning. Indigo Plateau.**_

"Will you hold onto Pikachu for me?"

Serena stared at Ash in surprise as he held his long-time partner out to her in earnest. Her companions, Clemont and Bonnie, as well as Ash's other close friends seemed equally confused.

"You're... not going to use him in battle?" Serena asked.

"Not this time." Ash shook his head.

"But Electric-types are super-effective against Water-types, aren't they?" Bonnie pressed.

"I know. But Misty and Pikachu are really good friends, so he doesn't like to battle her, and I totally respect that," Ash explained. Pikachu let out a short, abashed laugh, rubbing the back of his head. Ash smiled, adding, "I know he'll be cheering for me in the audience, though, right?"

"Pika." Pikachu looked back at his trainer and gave a definitive nod.

"Okay... Well, sure, I can hold onto Pikachu!" Serena said, and Pikachu happily leapt into her arms. Ash glanced behind him; he needed to go backstage soon. He felt his stomach begin to knot.

Sensing his uneasiness, Ritchie kindly said, "Good luck, Ash. You're gonna do really great. I promise."

"It'll be an interesting battle, for sure," Brock added. "I've known you two for a long time. It's a little surreal that it's come to this."

"Thanks guys." Ash grinned crookedly. "I'll do my best."

* * *

><p>"Well, gee Misty, don't look so nervous."<p>

Misty blinked and turned to see that Leaf had appeared in her doorway to her waiting room. The redhead's lips curved into a frown as she protested, "I'm not nervous."

Leaf craned an eyebrow and, with a wry smile, asked, "Then what are you feeling? You don't exactly look thrilled to be here," as she trotted down the steps toward Misty.

"Somewhere between excited and wanting to punch someone," Misty answered. "Me, specifically."

"Why's that?"

"Well..." Misty drawled. "I'm excited because I like battling, and I know this is going to be a really good match. Ash and I know each other's styles really well, which is probably why he saved me for last. But, I'm also mad at myself for getting me into this situation."

"What do you mean?" Leaf furrowed her brow.

Misty paused, thinking.

"When I spoke to Ash before his match-" she began, but Leaf cut her off.

"-You mean when you broke the impartiality clause?"

"Yes, that," Misty grumbled, annoyed. She continued, "When I spoke to Ash before his match, he was clearly very excited about the idea of winning the conference, because it meant he would get the chance to battle me. I wasn't... quite as excited. I don't like the idea that I can make or break his dream, especially when I was the one who told him not to quit competing, even when the others started drifting away from competitive training. You know, when they realized..."

"So, what I'm getting from this is, if he takes away my title, I can blame you?" When Misty glowered at her, Leaf added, "I'm kidding. I expect any good girlfriend would encourage the person they love to follow their dreams."

Misty scoffed, saying, "I'm not his girlfriend."

"Friend with kissing benefits, whatever." Leaf shrugged. "I really wouldn't worry about it. Truly, I'm the one who gets to make or break his dream, when he and I face off."

"I'm so glad you're confident I'm going to lose," Misty said dryly.

"_You_ don't want to win."

"I do," Misty insisted.

"Prove me wrong then."

Misty glared.

"You're just trying to provoke me, so I'll do my best," she said.

"Is it working?"

"A little bit," Misty begrudgingly admitted.

"Good." Leaf smirked. "You should go."

Misty blinked.

"Is it time already?" she asked.

"It is."

"Oh..." _Now_ Misty began to feel anxiety pool within her. "Okay."

She turned to leave through the door that would lead toward the battlefield. Yet, at the last moment, Leaf called out to her.

"At least make him work for it," she said.

Misty stopped at the door.

"I will," she said before pushing it open.

The audience's screams reached Misty's ears as soon as she stepped out into the tunnel. She pressed forward, however, into the increasingly intense reverberations, until she reached the opening into the stadium. She stopped at the divide between shadow and sunlight, waiting for the announcer to call her name.

Across the way, she noticed Ash was also waiting, and she caught his eye. He tipped his cap toward her, and suddenly, Misty felt all her doubts dissipate. She couldn't help but smile and laugh.

_**March 5th, 2003. Early Evening. Pallet Town.**_

The sun was just starting to set when Misty's car rumbled up the dirt road in Pallet Town. She pulled up near the white fencing of Ash's home, put the car into park, and turned off the engine. She noticed Delia Ketchum peek through her velvety light green curtains before coming outside. Misty trotted up the stone pathway to meet her.

"Good evening, Misty," Delia warmly greeted. "It's always nice to see you again."

"Same here, Ms. Ketchum. Thanks for having me over," Misty politely replied.

"I didn't know you had your license." Delia gestured toward the car.

Misty nodded, adding, "My sisters got the car for me, saying it was a birthday present. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a very late birthday present, or an early one, since I was born in June."

"Still, that's nice of them."

"It makes visiting Pallet a lot easier, that's for sure," Misty agreed.

Delia smiled.

"Come in, come in," she said, ushering Misty inside. "Dinner will be ready in ten or so minutes. Ash is upstairs in his room, I think, if you want to see him."

"Thanks," Misty said before heading up the stairs. The door to Ash's room was cracked open, and she peered inside. Ash was laying on his backside on top of his bed, idly playing with Pikachu, who was sitting on his belly. Misty pushed the door open more fully and walked inside. Ash craned his neck, having heard the door creak.

"Oh, hey." Ash sat up when he saw Misty. "Glad you could make it."

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Me? Nothing, really," he replied, shrugging.

"That's kind of weird for you." Misty climbed up the ladder onto his bed and sat across from him. Pikachu wriggled out of his trainer's grasp to see her, and Misty happily welcomed him onto her lap.

"You think?"

"You're the type of person who never stops moving." Misty paused. "Come to think of it, you haven't really traveled since the Unova League, have you?"

"Huh... I guess not..." Ash trailed off, thinking. Misty kept quiet, watching him expectantly, knowing he had more to say. Finally, he said, "That interview's supposed to be on TV tomorrow."

Misty raised an eyebrow.

"I know," she said.

"Are you gonna watch it?" he asked.

"Probably not." Misty shook her head.

Ash appeared relieved.

"Me neither."

Misty tilted her head, frowning.

"Are still bothered by the thing with Silver?" she asked.

"Kind of," Ash admitted. "I get what Leaf was saying, though. I don't know. I feel weird about the whole thing. I felt weird just being interviewed about it."

"I think we all feel that way," Misty reassured him. "It did kind of seem like we were being... used by the G-Men, I guess, so they could look better. It's strange, though, because I _like_ Lance and Cynthia and Wallace, and I just... It's very confusing."

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "It makes me think about Silver, actually. He used to talk about the G-Men all the time, and I didn't get what he was saying then. I still don't, but I'm wondering if this is what he meant."

Misty's lips tightened.

"Maybe," she said. After a brief moment, she asked, "Have you dreamt about him recently?"

"Not really," he answered. "I guess I'm just kind of in a funk."

"Is... that why you're not traveling?" Misty appeared suspicious. "Because of all this?"

Ash winced.

"Well, I've gotta admit, I'm a bit discouraged," he said.

"What do you mean? Because you miss Silver or... ?"

"Silver said Champions are chosen."

Misty felt her heart sink and her mouth run dry. She hadn't expected they would broach this topic yet, and she was unprepared in how she would address it.

"Ash... you aren't thinking of not competing anymore, are you?" she tentatively asked.

He hesitated.

"I don't _want_ to stop," he said.

"Then don't," Misty insisted. "You love competing. Your Pokémon love competing. I bet the reason behind your 'funk' is because you haven't been trying to earn gym badges or anything..."

"I guess..."

"You know, Trip and Ritchie are still competing. They're planning to travel through Kanto when the new season starts, and I bet you could travel with them if you asked," Misty continued.

"Nah. If I'm gonna compete, I don't want to do it in Kanto. At least, not right now," Ash replied. "Maybe in several years, after..."

"After... ?" Misty prompted.

"After this blows over," Ash finished. "If it blows over. That interview isn't gonna help..."

"I think you just need to get away—and I don't mean by dropping out of the competitive scene for a while," Misty said. "You need to compete. You need something to do. Maybe you just need to do it outside of Napaj. You probably won't get recognized as much outside the country..."

"Outside of Napaj?"

"Go to Orre, maybe," Misty suggested. "Or Kalos, or anywhere that has an established competitive battling league."

"That would be cool," Ash admitted. "I was actually kind of thinking about challenging Sinnoh's Battle Frontier, but... it would be cool to travel someplace where not everyone's gonna know who I am. I mean, it's not like the Sinnoh Battle Frontier will go anywhere, right?"

"Yeah." Misty felt a lump form in her throat. Although she stood by her suggestions, Ash traveling internationally would mean he would be very, very far away from home. "The important things is that you can't give up. If you, of all people, give up on your dreams, what does that mean for the rest of us?"

Ash chuckled.

"You're right," he said. "I just gotta keep at it, no matter what, so I can become Pokémon Master—and I won't be chosen for it. I'm tired of being chosen."

They heard Delia call from downstairs; dinner was ready. Ash grinned and waited as Misty climbed down the ladder before he jumped down himself. Pikachu jumped out of her arms and bounded down the stairs, leaving the two trainers alone. Just as Misty was about to follow, Ash grasped her wrist.

"Hey, Mist'?"

"Mm?" She looked back at him.

He leaned in to kiss her. It was unexpectedly slow, and sweet, for Ash—not that Misty minded. Ash tended to be quick and snappy, due in part to his own nervousness, whenever he kissed her, which wasn't often. So, the change was a welcome one.

"Thanks," he said when he pulled away.

_**May 28th, 2009. Late Morning. Indigo Plateau.**_

"Sceptile, unleash your Solar Beam, now!"

"Golduck, quick, use Ice Beam!"

The two forces of energy collided in the middle of the field. Misty pulled the collar of her shirt over her face to protect herself from the shards of ice crystals that blew back in her direction, while Ash ducked his eyes beneath his arm to hide from the blinding light of his Sceptile's attack. When the field cleared, both Pokémon were still standing, relatively unaffected by the blast.

"Golduck, Surf!" Misty quickly ordered, trying to gain the upper hand.

"Counter that with Leaf Storm, Sceptile!"

Yet, Sceptile's storm of green-glowing leaves were swallowed by the wave Golduck drummed up, and the wall of water descended upon Sceptile at full-force, bringing him to a knee. Golduck planted his feet firmly on the ground again, in front of Sceptile.

"_Ooh, Sceptile's Leaf Storm failed to cut through Surf, and it took a direct hit! This could be bad for Ketchum._" The announcer's voice boomed in the stadium.

Sceptile looked up to see Golduck standing above him, backlit against the near-noonday sun.

"Okay, Golduck, use Ice Beam again while you're close!" Misty called from the other end of the field.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade and aim low!"

Just as Golduck began gathering the power for a second Ice Beam, Sceptile's blades on the back of his forearms glowed bright green, and he slashed at Golduck's knees. Golduck was swept of his feet and fell face-forward, choking on his own Ice Beam.

"Now, jump up and use Bullet Seed!"

Sceptile did so, and Golduck was hit with a barrage of the projectiles, and he was consumed in a cloud of dust and smoke.

"Golduck!" Misty cried out in concern. Yet, when the cloud dissipated, it was clear Golduck had been knocked out.

"Golduck is unable to battle, so the winner is Sceptile, and the victory goes to Ash!" Olivier declared.

The crowd exploded. Misty breathed in sharply. It was over. She had lost. Ash was going to battle Leaf. Ash appeared as though he were in shock as well, until Sceptile practically tackled him in joy.

"Return, Golduck." Misty recalled her long-time Pokémon and drew its Pokéball close to her lips so she could say, "Thank you. You were wonderful."

She looked up again with a tired smile, placing her hands on her hips as she watched Ash and Sceptile celebrate their win. She moved toward the center of the field, and when Ash noticed she was coming, he met her halfway.

"Congratulations, Ash," she said, shaking his hand, as per tradition.

"Thanks." Ash grinned.

Misty smiled, too, and she leaned a little closer to Ash to talk more intimately.

"Meet me backstage in your waiting room, all right?" she said in a low voice. "Before you talk to the press."

Ash appeared confused, but he nodded.

"Okay."

* * *

><p>"Well, that's that." Leaf wore a strangely proud smirk as she observed the happy chaos below her from the Champion box. She turned to the three seated Elite Four members behind her. "Thank you for all your hard work during these matchups. Now it's my turn."<p>

She then headed straight for the door, presumably leaving to go see either Ash or Misty. Gary rose to follow her, but he noticed that Lance was still standing in front of the glass pane overlooking the battlefield, his arms at rest behind him. His expression was contemplative, though he wore a frown.

"You seem unhappy," Gary remarked.

Lance darted his gaze toward the young researcher.

"I invested eight years into preparing Leaf for the Championship seat," he said firmly, though calmly. "Do you think I want to see her lose her title after only two?"

* * *

><p>Ash's head snapped up when the door to his waiting room abruptly opened, and there Misty stood, her breathing a little more labored than usual. She had jogged to meet him there, knowing there were people waiting to see and talk to him, and she didn't want people to question why he had taken so long.<p>

"Hey," Ash said, rising to his feet.

"Hi," Misty replied.

They stood in silence for a moment. Then, Misty quickly advanced toward him and, grabbing the collar of his shirt, pulled him into an unexpected kiss. Ash initially grew tense, unsure of what to do or how to react. It had been a while since he'd done this, and he couldn't remember where to put his hands. Misty drew back before he had the chance to figure it out, however.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I've, ah, missed that, and I couldn't do it in front of the cameras."

"Uh... yeah!" Ash laughed nervously, still flustered. "I get that."

Both perked up when they heard footsteps nearby. Misty realized she and Ash were still standing close together, and she took a step back so they were at a more respectable distance. Pikachu suddenly bounded into the room and leapt into his trainer's arms.

"Hey!" Ash grinned, hugging his partner close to him. "Did'ja watch? How'd you like it?"

"Pika!" Pikachu affectionately licked Ash's face.

Bonnie soon hurried into the room, too, and she also tackled Ash with a hug.

"Ash, you were awesome!" the teen gushed. Ash smiled and freed one of his arms, laying a hand on her mid-back to return her embrace.

"It really was a great battle!" Clemont soon followed his younger sister.

"No joke." Gary was next. "I thought Misty had you with Surf, but Sceptile held out. Nice work."

"Props to Misty, too," Brock said, giving her a pat on the shoulder as he approached.

"Yeah, you didn't go down easy, that's for sure," Ritchie added. Serena was the last to come in the room, but she remained quiet, only offering Ash a smile.

"Thanks you guys," Misty said.

"Yeah, thanks!" Ash agreed. "How'd you all get down here anyway?"

"I let them in." Leaf suddenly appeared, pressing her way into the circle that had formed. She stopped and, smirking, gave Misty and Ash a once-over. "You know, I had a sneaking suspicion we'd find you two together."

"We were just talking," Misty said.

"Uh-huh." Leaf didn't believe them, but she didn't push the matter. She then turned to Ash, and he straightened up. "Well Ash, congratulations. You defeated the Elite Four, and now you have a shot at winning the Champion title."

"I can't wait to battle you." Ash looked determined.

"And I can't wait to crush you." Leaf smiled wryly. "But until then, you've got a press waiting for you."

"Oh, right! Um..." Ash appeared unsure, casting a quick glance toward Misty and then toward his friends. He wasn't sure he wanted to leave yet.

"Don't worry," Serena assured him. "We can meet at the Pokémon Center where we're staying once you're finished."

"And then we can go to Pallet Town," Gary added. "I'm sure my grandfather and your mother will want to celebrate tonight."

"Okay... er..." He looked at Misty pointedly. She winced and cast Leaf a quick, hopeful glance. The Indigo Champion sighed in response, rolling her eyes.

"Misty, you're excused," she said drolly. "The impartiality clause no longer applies to you. You may go celebrate with Ash and company in Pallet Town tonight, should they choose to invite you."

"Of course she's invited!" Ash happily threw an arm around her shoulder, and Misty let out a nervous chuckle in response. "You're all invited!"

Serena's lips tightened, but she said nothing.

"Ash," Gary began.

"Yeah?"

"The press," Gary reminded.

"Ah, sorry!" Ash withdrew his arm from Misty and readjusted his cap before heading for the door, Pikachu in tow. "Okay, I'll catch you later!"

_**May 28th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"Did I just hear the elevator ding?" Iris questioned, looking up. Her Haxorous, who was kneeled in front of her and resting his head on her lap, pouted that his trainer had stopped petting him. Paul and Trip ceased their idle activities as well and exchanged quick glances.

"I'll go check," Trip grumbled when he realized Paul wasn't moving. He stood up and headed toward the door and down the hallway. Instead of meeting a male allegedly representing the organization SAMPLe, however, he found Georgia.

"Oh, it's you," he said when he confronted her midway.

"Were you expecting someone else?" Georgia raised an eyebrow.

"Actually, yes," Trip replied. "Iris is supposed to meet with someone named Elijah soon, and Paul and I are here to make nothing bad happens."

"Thrilling," Georgia said, uninterested. She then pushed past him, heading toward Iris's office. Trip shook his head and followed her.

"Hi Georgia," Iris greeted, confused when her old rival suddenly appeared in the doorway. Georgia hadn't said anything about visiting that morning.

"Mr. Goodshow emailed me a bunch of documents new Elite Four members need to fill out and wants me to fax them to him when I'm finished," Georgia explained in short.

"Okay." Iris turned her head slightly, still lost.

"I don't own a printer or a fax machine."

"Oh! Well, that's fine. You can use ours." Iris gestured toward the computer behind her desk, which was indeed hooked up to a printer and fax machine. "I have a couple of meetings this morning, but you can do whatever you need to do."

Georgia nodded, uttering a quick, dry thanks before sitting at the computer and plugging in a flashdrive. Iris stood, too, and headed for her desk, leaving behind her now more disappointed Haxorous. He whined as she picked up the glass of Leppa Juice she had prepared for herself and took a drink.

"Oh stop it," Iris chastised, glowering at him. She sat down again and let him rest his head on her lap once more. "You're such a big baby."

"That's what you get for letting him live in your hair while he was an Axew," Paul groused. "You spoiled him with attention."

"You raise your Pokémon the way you want, I'll raise mine the way I want," Iris tacitly replied. "I'm actually quite confident my Haxorous could take out your Torterra any day of the year."

"I doubt that."

"It certainly would be a phenomenal match." The four trainers' eyes darted toward the door to see a tall, slender male standing in the entrance. "It's not often that we have the pleasure of seeing Champions battle one another."

"You... must be Elijah!" Iris jumped up and went to shake his hand.

"Ms. Ajagara, it's such an honor to finally meet you," he said. Paul slowly rose to his feet, watching Elijah carefully. Georgia also eyed him over her shoulder as she printed her materials.

Elijah noticed Paul's gaze and turned to address him, too.

"I did not realize the Sinnoh Champion would be joining us today, too," he said thoughtfully.

"Oh no, he isn't," Iris corrected with a nervous laugh. "He and my friend Trip were just keeping me company until you arrived."

Elijah immediately saw through her ruse, but he smiled anyway.

"I see," he said. "There's no need to worry, Mr. Rebolledo. Your agent already so graciously patted me down for firearms and other weapons, and he found no such thing. I understand the need to be cautious, but I assure I intend no harm to befall Ms. Ajagara. In fact, I hope today's meeting will give rise to a mutually beneficial relationship between SAMPLe and the league."

"Mhm," Paul hummed, still wary.

"_See?_" Iris emphasized. "Everything's fine. You can go now."

Paul cleared his throat.

"We'll be outside," he said, heading for the door. Trip followed him. Iris looked at Georgia and made a quick gesture with her head, indicating she should go, too. Georgia gathered her printed documents, snatched a pen off Iris's desk, and left without complaint. She shut the door behind her.

Iris turned and recalled Haxorous into his Pokéball before facing Elijah again.

"I'm really sorry," she quickly apologized. "My husband is a little paranoid. He would have asked for people to be with me if I were meeting with anyone he didn't know. I don't want you to take this as an affront to you or, um, SAMPLe."

"It's quite all right, Ms. Ajagara," Elijah said kindly. "Like I said, I understand completely. It is good of your husband to be concerned for you. It means he cares about you. The assassination attempt must have been scary for him, too."

Iris's lip twitched.

"Yeah..." she admitted, agreeing. "Anyway, I have no idea why you wanted to meet today, but I completely support anything that wants to help Pokémon, and it sounds like SAMPLe does that, so..."

"I'm glad to hear it. May I sit?"

"Of course! Sorry."

Elijah pulled up one of the chairs and did so.

"SAMPLe does indeed strive to help Pokémon," he said. "We rescue injured, abandoned, or even abused Pokémon from both trainers and the wild, and we help rehabilitate and release them back into the wild. Our research team studies the best way we can rehabilitate Pokémon, and I am a part of that. I, specifically, study how to bring out the inner power of Pokémon. I believe this helps them in their return to the wild; their greater strength allows them to better defend themselves."

"That's really great," Iris said, genuine. "What can I do to help you?"

"Well, you see..." Elijah began slowly. "Performing research requires money. And as a start-up, SAMPLe unfortunately doesn't have a lot of it. We do what we can, but researchers like myself are often forced to apply for grants or seek donors."

"Oh... I see..." Iris trailed off.

"I think this could be a grand opportunity for you as well, Ms. Ajagara," Elijah continued. "I don't mean to sound crass, but with the happenings at your inauguration, it's clear there are anti-league groups who see you as an enemy. Supporting an organization like SAMPLe may help your reputation in that respect."

"That's true, but..." Iris sighed. "I'm really sorry. As much as I would really love to financially help SAMPLe, I can't right now. I'm already dipping into the Unova League's reserves to build a new G-Men here, and I've also kind of committed to helping another organization. But, it's run by a team of really smart people, and I know they'll have it running independently in no time. Then, the Unova League will happen in September, and after that, I'll have the means to be able to help you."

Elijah frowned.

"If you don't mind me asking, what other organization is this?"

"Oh! Well..." She hesitated. "This isn't public information yet, but the APC is planning on establishing another branch for contests in Unova. They need help building contest halls and other things, and while I don't know the specifics yet, I know the price tag is pretty hefty. I'm actually meeting with the people in charge to learn about all that a little later."

Elijah was silent for a moment.

"Ms. Ajagara, have you watched the news lately?" he asked calmly.

"A little. Why?"

"I suggest you keep a watchful eye," he said, standing again. "You may find you'll change your mind and want to support us."

Iris appeared unnerved, but she shook it off, asking, "Is there nothing else I can do aside from giving financial help?"

"I'm afraid not." Elijah smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry."

"It's no matter," Elijah dismissed. "I have another promising potential donor in Hoenn. That's where I'm flying to this afternoon."

"Good luck," Iris wished him well.

"Thank you. And thank you for your time. I'm sorry this meeting had to end early." He reached into the pocket on the front of his shirt and pulled out a business card. "If you do change your mind... please contact me."

Iris stood, too, to accept his card. Yet, her head whirled as she did, and she grasped the arm of her chair to steady herself. She realized she must have gotten up too fast.

"I will," Iris said, taking the card. "I'm sorry again."

* * *

><p>"Are Elite Four members required to specialize in one type?" Georgia asked, tapping her pen against her lower jaw. She was leaning against the wall directly outside of Iris's office, filling out her paperwork.<p>

Paul slowly brought his gaze up to her.

"It's typical they do," he said. "Not always. Leaf specialized in 'female Pokémon.'"

"Not that it should be a problem for you?" Trip craned an eyebrow. "Don't you run an Ice-type gym?"

"Yes, but I don't consider it my specialty, per se," Georgia corrected. "I have Steel- and Fairy-type Pokémon, too. Dragon-busting, now that's my specialty."

"Are you still stuck on that?" Trip glowered at her. "I would've thought you'd have given up that ridiculous title when you became the Icirrus City Gym Leader."

"Excuse me, but what's a Dragon Buster?" Paul asked, annoyed.

"A Trainer Class she made up," Trip replied.

"Exactly what you would think it is," Georgia spoke over Trip, ignoring his answer. "They focus on building teams that take down Dragons."

"That seems stupid." Paul waved waved his hand. "But, whatever. Iris's call, not mine. Talk to her about it, not me."

"Oh, I will." Georgia smirked.

She flipped the page, continuing on with the packet of information. Paul resumed reading his book, and Trip returned to scrolling through his newsfeed on his PokéPad.

"... Did you guys hear about that Minccino in Nimbasa last week?" Trip asked after a short silence.

"The one that ate its trainers nose?" Georgia didn't look up.

"That's the one," Trip confirmed. "There's been a third attack, this time from a Houndoom."

"I didn't even know there was a second," Paul admitted.

"Yeah. A Sandile. It happened Tuesday, but it was brushed over because of all the coverage for the Kanto E4 matches," Trip explained. "The Houndoom is supposed to be sent to a rehabilitation facility, much like the Sandile and that Minccino."

Georgia scoffed.

"Must be something in the water in Nimbasa City," she said.

Trip looked at her pointedly, catching her gaze.

"They weren't all in Nimbasa City," he said.

Before either she or Paul had a chance to respond, they heard the elevator door open down the hallway, and a small chorus of voices emerged with it.

"Looks like the CIU is here," Paul remarked.

"The what?" Georgia asked.

"Contests in Unova," Trip explained in short. The familiar group of five coordinators plus Barry soon appeared, and May's face lit up when she saw Trip.

"Hi, Trip!" she said, beaming as she headed toward him to give him a quick embrace. "I didn't know we were going to see you today!"

Trip let out a short, exasperated laugh, but offered her a reciprocal pat on the back.

"It hasn't been that long since we last talked," he said.

"I know, but..." May smiled as she stepped back. "It's always nice to see you again."

The door to Iris's office suddenly opened, and Elijah walked out with Iris behind him. She seemed a little paler than usual, and she was wearing a crooked smile.

"I hope we may meet again, Ms. Ajagara," he said.

"So do I," she replied. "Best wishes on your flight."

"Thank you."

Elijah turned to leave, and the group of CIU staffers parted so he could pass through.

"Who's that?" Barry asked, looking back at Iris once he was out of earshot.

"His name's Elijah. He's a representative of- ooh!" Iris had the breath knocked out of her when May left Trip to hug her instead. Iris stumbled slightly; under normal circumstances, she would have been fine, but May's embrace only served to bring on another spell of dizziness. "I've missed you too, May."

"Do you not pay enough attention to your girlfriend or something, Hayden?" Paul grumbled.

"May's always been a very touchy person," Drew dismissed. "Besides, who are you to talk about not paying enough attention to your girlfriend?"

Drew said it in a more joking manner, but Paul shot him an intense glare and then sent Dawn a wary look. She winced in response.

"_Drew,_" Dawn hissed.

Sensing the sudden tension, Iris cleared her throat and stepped away from May, wobbling only slightly as she did.

"Anyway, come in!" she said, forcing a smile. "I'm excited to finally talk to you guys!"

She quickly ushered the coordinators inside and shut the door again. Dawn sheepishly sat down on the sofa, keeping her eyes on the ground. Zoey and Kenny looked at her and then at each other. Drew shook his head and sighed. He'd crossed the line; apparently, the issues Dawn had brought up with him last week were very real, and his offhand comment had hit a sore spot in her and Paul's relationship.

Iris immediately headed for her desk, getting another drink of her Leppa Juice.

"We're sorry we're here so early," Drew apologized. "We intended to wait for you. We didn't know you had another meeting before us."

"Oh, don't worry about it!" Iris said with a dismissive wave of her hand. She came to sit with the group. "It saves time, overall, I think. How are you guys?"

"We're great. Been hard at work," Kenny chuckled.

"I can imagine. I can't believe you're already going to launch tomorrow. You guys are really fast," Iris complimented.

"Thanks," Drew said. "We had to get moving pretty quickly, though. The only time Don George could give us the Opelucid Battle Club in June was on the 18th."

"What're you doing on the 18th?" Iris asked.

"A Q&A with Top Coordinators," Dawn answered, shaking off her embarrassment.

"That sounds good. Anything else planned?"

"We want to do a contest in the stadium the Battle Club owns in Nimbasa Town," Drew replied. "That'll be in July."

"You guys really have it together, don't you?"

"We're certainly trying to fool people into thinking that, so I'm glad we've at least succeeded with you," Zoey laughed.

"It's a start, right?" Iris smiled. "So, what can I do to help?"

"Just having you say you support us would help us bunches!" May said. "It would get people to hopefully volunteer or donate."

"And," Drew added, "we're going to need some financial help, too. Contesta wants twelve different locations for contests in Unova to start. The Don George Battle Club thinks they can offer six different venues."

"So you're going to need to build six more..." Iris trailed off. "Okay! Well, it took some stumbling around and calling different people, but I found out how much the Unova League has in its reserves—and it's pretty decent. Alder never really used any of it."

She stood, and her feet seemed to tangle on their own. The dizziness had returned.

"Hey... are you okay?" Dawn asked carefully.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Iris insisted. "I'm just tired. I've been awake since early this morning, so I could watch Ash's match live. The time difference between here and Kanto can be a real pain sometimes." She rounded her desk and opened up a drawer. She felt as though she couldn't focus. "Hang on, I've got... I've got the printed record here somewhere."

She closed the desk, unable to recall where she had placed it. She took yet another drink of her Leppa Juice and placed her hands on her desk, trying to get ahold of herself.

"Oh, you know what?" Iris quickly pushed herself away from her desk, straightening up; a mistake. "I think I left it..."

The quick motion caused everything to turn blurry, and then black as her knees buckled and she collapsed.

"Oh Arceus." Drew and the others sprung from their seats and hurried to her aid. Drew knelt at her side, touching her cheek. "Iris? Iris, are you all right?" When she didn't respond, his hand moved to her neck.

Having heard the commotion, the door to Iris's office was thrown open, and in came Paul, Trip, and Georgia. Paul's eyes widened when he saw Iris crumpled on the floor, surrounded by the others.

"What happened?" he demanded, pushing his way into their circle.

"She just fainted!" Barry exclaimed.

Paul breathed out, his eyes darting around the room. His gaze landed on the glass of Leppa Juice, and he snatched it up.

"Was she drinking this?" he asked Dawn, pointing toward the glass.

"I-"

"-Was she?" Paul pressed.

"Yes, she had a little bit," Dawn finally answered.

He immediately feared the worst. Iris stirred as she began to come around, and her eyes opened again, her gaze distant and dreamy.

"Iris, did Elijah slip something into your drink?" he asked as he, too, kneeled beside her. A few sharp breaths were drawn at the terrible implications of that question.

"Ah..." She blinked rapidly, but couldn't formulate a response.

Paul frowned.

"May, go call for an ambulance," he said very seriously, and she nodded before scrambling to get her cell phone. "And someone needs to get in contact with Cilan."

"Isn't he in class right now?" Kenny asked.

"Then someone needs to go _get_ him," Paul growled.

"I have a car. I can drive down there," Georgia quickly offered. "I don't know where his classroom is, though."

"I think I do," Trip jumped in. "Take me with you."

"Fine. Come on." She hurried out with Trip in tow.

May returned to the group, holding her cell phone near her ear.

"They're on their way," she said.

* * *

><p>Burgundy perked up in alarm when she heard a couple knocks at the classroom door. She turned around to see Georgia in the square window embedded in the door, gesturing for her to come outside. Confusion crossed Burgundy's face, and she did a double-take between her friend and Cilan. As quietly as she could manage, she slipped outside to talk to her. She was surprised to see Trip was in the hallway, too, which only served to intensify her confusion.<p>

"What are you two doing here?" she demanded in a hushed tone.

"You need to take over the class or something. Cilan has to come with us," Georgia said urgently, ignoring her inquiry.

"Why?"

"Iris is on her way to the hospital," Trip continued. "She passed out. We're not sure why, but she was drinking something, and Paul's worried that..."

He did not need to say anything further. The news coverage for the assassination attempt on Iris only several weeks earlier whirled in Burgundy's head, and she felt a chill sink into her chest—something she would not have expected. She let out a shaky breath before glancing through the square window into the classroom. Cilan was still teaching, unaware Burgundy had stepped out.

"Wait here," Burgundy told the two before stiffly re-entering the room.

* * *

><p>Iris inhaled sharply when the nurse stuck a needle into her arm to draw blood. She was sitting upright in her hospital bed, now fully conscious and hooked up to an IV. A half-empty water bottle was at her beside, and the nurse and doctor would consistently remind her to keep drinking.<p>

"Well, I can say with near-full confidence that she wasn't poisoned," Dr. Dansforth told Paul and Drew, though his eyes were locked on Iris as her gaze passed around the room, looking at anything except the needle in her arm. "No vomiting, no fever, no abnormal salivation... This is something else. You're sure her fainting wasn't caused by dehydration?"

"Yes. She was drinking her juice all morning," Paul asserted.

"And... you thought it had been poisoned?" Dansforth asked slowly.

"I was obviously mistaken," Paul begrudgingly admitted. "It seemed like a possibility at the time."

Dr. Dansforth raised an eyebrow, but he didn't push the matter further.

"Well, we'll have her blood tested to see what we can find," he said. "But, for now, she seems fine. So, you'll just have to wait until the results come back."

"How long will that take?" Drew asked.

"Several hours," Dansforth answered.

"Fantastic," Paul mumbled.

Dr. Dansforth turned to Iris once more and said, "Ms. Ajagara, please make sure you keep drinking your water."

"Yeah, yeah, I am," Iris grumbled as she reached for her water bottle again, unscrewing the cap. After Dansforth left, Drew and Paul returned to her bedside.

"How are you feeling?" Drew asked gently.

"Stupid," Iris huffed. "Why am I here? I hate hospitals."

"You fainted," Paul reminded her.

"And I'm obviously fine now."

The door to her room suddenly opened, and a somewhat disheveled Cilan appeared. His alarmed expression melted into relief when he saw Iris was awake. He dropped his bag at the door and slid onto her bed, cupping her face to kiss her rather deeply. This caught Iris off-guard; she and Cilan tended to be more private when it came to their romance.

Trip and Georgia came into the room after Cilan, happening upon the intimate scene.

"Arceus, Iris, I was so scared when I heard..." Cilan began when he pulled away, tenderly brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

"Heard what?" Iris appeared confused. His reaction seemed dramatic.

"Georgia and Trip said they were worried you'd been poisoned," Cilan replied.

"_Poisoned?_" Iris laughed, finding it ludicrous.

"She wasn't poisoned," Paul stepped in to clarify.

"Yeah, what is this?" Iris pressed. Georgia and Trip exchanged quick glances. She obviously had been too dazed to remember the moments immediately following when she first came around, when the poison panic set in among her friends.

"I thought Elijah had put something into your drink, which caused you to pass out," Paul grumbled.

"Wha- why would you think that?" Iris looked upset, perhaps even angry now. "Elijah didn't even get _close_ to my drink."

"We weren't in the meeting, Iris," Trip interjected defensively. "We didn't know what happened."

"All he wanted was some financial backing for SAMPLe's research," Iris retorted. "Sure, he was disappointed when I turned him down, but..."

"You turned him down?" Trip raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I told him I was already committed to helping the CIU," she continued. Drew straightened up in surprise, but said nothing. Cilan frowned, his hand falling into the small of Iris's back.

"If she wasn't poisoned, then what _is_ wrong?" he asked.

"They don't know yet," Paul answered. "She just had some blood drawn a couple minutes ago, and I guess they're going to run some tests."

Cilan let out a long, cleansing breath before looking back at his wife.

"Well," he began slowly, "at least you're fine now." He pulled her into an embrace. "I really was scared. I thought I might lose you."

Iris blinked and hesitantly brought up an arm, grasping the back of his shirt.

"You have no reason to be scared," she assured him. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

><p>Pokémon News National was still reporting on Ash Ketchum's win over Misty Waterflower in the Kanto region when Kenny turned on the television in the waiting room—one he and the others, funnily enough, had used before. They were waiting to see whether the outlet would pick up on Iris's trip to the hospital, and hoping it wouldn't. Yet, it wasn't long before May noticed Drew coming down the hallway from the window, and she jumped up to meet him when he came inside.<p>

"How is she?" she asked.

"She's fine," he said. "Not poisoned."

"Not poisoned?" Zoey came up from behind May, and she was soon followed with the others.

"Paul misfired," Drew said, which was the nicest way he could word it. "I think he was already suspicious of whoever she met with before us, and so when she passed out, he assumed he'd done something to her."

Dawn frowned.

"Well, she was looking a little off when she left the office..." she offered.

"Something _is_ wrong. We just don't know what," Drew clarified. "Has anyone called the CIU office?"

"I did," May said. "I talked to Ursula. I told her we're probably going to be a while."

Drew pressed his lips into a hard line.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"Are we just gonna wait here, then?" Barry asked.

"Do you honestly think any of us could focus if we went back?" Kenny said. "I mean, are we even going to launch tomorrow anymore?"

"We have to. There's already a press release out to every major media outlet, and it's on hold until midnight," Zoey said.

"Right." Drew nodded. "Launch is still tomorrow. I'm assuming the rest of the staff knows what they're doing and can handle themselves fine. Even if Iris wasn't our friend, it would be in good taste to see this play out."

"So we wait?" Dawn asked.

"So we wait," Drew affirmed.

"_Breaking news—_" The group turned their heads toward the anchor on the television screen. "_—we've just received word that Unova Champion Iris Ajagara was admitted to the Opelucid City Hospital this morning for reasons PNN's fact-checking team cannot confirm. Yet, there are sources who say Ajagara was poisoned-"_

"-This is not good," Drew said, letting out a frustrated sigh.

* * *

><p>"Ah..." Burgundy cast a quick glance at the clock and nervously clapped her hands together. "Okay! It looks like we're out of time today. Have a nice weekend, and make sure to read Chapter 3 of Poltiere's book before class next Tuesday."<p>

As the students began to pack up and shuffle out of the classroom, Burgundy headed for her purse and pulled out her cell phone, turning it on. No new messages. She decided to text Georgia herself.

'Any updates?'

She set the phone aside and started to shut down the computer. Burgundy didn't notice that one of the students had stayed behind, quietly waiting for her to finish up her business.

It didn't take long for Georgia to text back. Burgundy retrieved her phone again as soon as it buzzed.

'Iris is conscious. Doc doesn't think she was poisoned. They're running tests.'

Burgundy breathed out and typed a reply:

'I'll be down there soon.'

This time when she set her phone aside, she noticed the student waiting. Burgundy looked at her cautiously before asking, "Can I help you?"

The student appeared a little nervous, but she said, "I'm just wondering if Professor Griffith is okay. He kind of left in a hurry in the middle of class."

"He's fine," Burgundy dismissed. "He just had a family emergency."

"Oh, I see... I hope everything's okay..." The student trailed off. "Thank you for teaching the rest of class, by the way. You did a really great job."

Burgundy stared. Then, she let out a disbelieving chuckle.

"I don't control your grade," she said.

"Oh, no!" The student panicked, waving her hands. "I didn't mean it like that. It was just cool, I guess. There aren't a lot of female teachers at the PCA, so it's really nice to have, you know, someone like you here."

Burgundy was silent for a long moment, unsure of what to say in response. She brushed one of her violet curls behind her ear.

"What's your name again?" she finally asked.

"Karina."

"Well, Karina," Burgundy began, slinging her purse over her shoulder. "I'll let Professor Griffith know you were thinking about him." She paused and turned to raise the projector screen before facing the girl again. "Come on, I'll walk you out."

_**May 28th, 2009. Afternoon. Indigo Plateau.**_

Leaf had only just walked into her office when her cell phone rang. She was tempted to ignore it, thinking it was probably Mr. Goodshow wanting to talk about the Championship match between her and Ash, but she checked the caller ID anyway. She raised an eyebrow when she realized it was Gary calling.

"Hello, Garebear," she greeted with a false, sultry tone.

"_Hey, what's up with Iris?_" he asked, passing up the chance to entertain her.

"I don't know. I don't know her life," Leaf half-laughed. "Why are you asking?"

"_Our group just got to Pallet Town, and Delia had the television on when we walked inside,_" Gary explained. "_They're saying Iris is in the hospital because someone tried to poison her._"

"Excuse me?" Leaf no longer sounded amused.

"_It's on TV,_" Gary continued. "_You haven't heard anything about it?_"

"No, I-" She stopped short, grabbing the remote off her desk and turning on the television that hung on her wall. True to Gary's word, the anchors were talking about Iris's apparent stay in the hospital. "I'm going to have to get back to you."

She hung up and immediately dialed another number. It wasn't long before the other end picked up.

"_I was just about to call you,_" Paul started.

"Paul, what the hell am I watching?" Leaf angrily demanded.

"_Calm down. It's not as bad as you think._"

"PNN is reporting that she's in the hospital with rumors circulating that she was _poisoned_. That sounds pretty bad to me," Leaf retorted.

"_I... didn't know PNN was reporting that,_" Paul admitted. "_I don't know how they would have found out about that._"

"Well, they are. Was she?"

"_No,_" he answered. "_We were worried about it, but that's not the case._"

"What is then?" Leaf asked.

"_We're not sure,_" Paul replied. "_She passed out, but she's fine now. They're doing some bloodwork to figure out what's wrong._"

"Great," Leaf mumbled. "Just great."

"_Do we need to release a statement?_"

"No, not now," Leaf said. "Wait until you have figured out what's wrong with her, and then release a statement. I'll write it, in fact. Don't bother Wallace."

"_Noted. I'll keep you updated._"

"Thank you."

Leaf tossed her phone aside when the call ended. She fell back into her chair and raked her fingers through her hair. The television was still running, and she couldn't bring herself to turn it off yet.

_**May 28th, 2009. Early Evening. Opelucid City.**_

Cilan pulled back the curtains in Iris's room, gazing at the several news trucks that had gathered outside the hospital front entrance; there were even more now than there were when he last checked. He sighed and sat down again beside Paul. They had been waiting for _hours_ for the results of Iris's bloodwork. A nurse would occasionally check in, and she had ushered Trip and Georgia out earlier, but otherwise, they were left to their own devices.

"I'm sorry," Paul said in a quiet, gruff voice.

"Don't apologize," Cilan said. "I'd rather you have overreacted than underreacted."

Iris folded her arms and leaned back into her pillow, angrily averting her eyes. Although she said nothing, her expression told them that she disagreed.

The door opened, and Dr. Dansforth suddenly strolled in.

"Sorry for the wait," he said. "I have your results."

"_Finally_," Iris breathed, sitting up straight once more.

"What is it, doctor?" Cilan asked more politely.

"Well," he began, sitting down, addressing Iris. "We explored several different possibilities, but the first abnormality we found was in your ferritin levels test, which reflects how much iron is stored in the body. It was lower than it should have been, so we ran a complete blood count, and sure enough, you have a low count of red blood cells."

"Which means... ?" Paul asked.

"She has iron deficiency anemia," Dansforth answered. "It's associated a lot of different symptoms—fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, pale skin, sometimes even fainting spells. An iron deficiency means less hemoglobin, which means smaller and fewer red blood cells. Those blood cells are what carry oxygen to your brain, and when there's a lack of that, it can cause those feelings of lightheadedness."

"Anemia?" Iris sounded alarmed. "I've never had these problems before, though."

"That doesn't surprise me in your condition," Dansforth said frankly.

"In my condition?"

"You see, Ms. Ajagara, your blood also has a high level of the hCG hormone," Dansforth continued, "and it's not uncommon for women with child to develop a temporary anemia."

"Excuse me?" Cilan drew back in surprise, unsure of what he heard. Iris's throat tightened, and Paul also perked up.

Dansforth smiled.

"Ms. Ajagara, you're pregnant," he said.

* * *

><p>"Ugh, I swear I've seen this re-run like 80 times," Barry moaned aloud, only two minutes into an airing of the show, Proteam Omega. The group had collectively agreed to change the channel earlier when they grew tired of hearing journalists speculate about Iris and the alleged second assassination attempt, this time by poisoning. "Can I fine whoever puts together the schedule on this network for never showing anymore episodes?"<p>

"It's a _classic_, Barry," Kenny argued. "This is the episode where Pikachu crashes his plane, and Poliwhirl cries over him while he recovers in the Pokémon Center before confessing her undying love for him."

"Pikachu and Poliwhirl aren't even in the same egg group," Trip pointed out. His head was propped up on his hand, and he was skimming through an article he'd pulled up on his PokéPad—'Houndoom who attacked trainer escapes from temporary holding.'

"_Yes_, thank you," Barry said.

"Their love transcends egg groups," Kenny protested.

"Isn't the target audience for this show like 12-year-old boys? Why are we watching it?" Georgia asked, folding her arms.

"Because it's a good show, regardless of who the target audience is," Kenny dismissed.

"Uh-huh..."

Burgundy's shoulders sagged when she sighed.

"Ugh," she droned. "I don't think watching cartoons while waiting in the hospital is a part of my job description."

"You know, you can leave," Zoey suggested, annoyed.

"_Non_," Burgundy said with a wave of her hand. "I need to stay in Cilan's good favor."

The group's attention was soon drawn to the door, through which Chili and Cress hurried inside.

"Are there any updates?" Cress immediately went to Trip.

"How much do you know?" Trip asked.

"That she wasn't poisoned."

"We haven't heard anything more than that." Trip shook his head. "Although, Iris was fine and talking when I was last with her. The nurse kicked Georgia and I out because visiting hours were technically over. They only let Cilan stay because he's her husband and Paul because he's the Sinnoh Champion."

"That's good, at least..." Chili said.

"Geez, you two are late to the party," Georgia said to the brothers wryly, craning an eyebrow.

"We closed the restaurant early, but it was still a long drive," Cress explained.

"How long have you guys been here?" Chili asked.

"Iris was admitted around 11-ish, so... seven, eight hours?" Trip answered.

Chili whistled, adding, "You guys are troopers. ... Oh, hey! This is my favorite show!" He squeezed into the seat between Trip and Burgundy. "Aw man, this is the best episode, too!"

"Right?" Kenny inclined his head toward him and grinned.

"I, like, have the entire script memorized," Chili said.

"Just take me now, Giratina," Burgundy moaned, sinking further into her seat. Chili glowered at her, but before he could say anything, Drew spoke.

"It looks like Cilan's coming," he said, rising to his feet.

Nearly everyone else jumped up, too, as Cilan pushed open the door into the waiting room and walked inside. He seemed a little pale himself, not unlike Iris earlier in the day.

"Hey." Chili hurried toward him. "You okay? You don't look so good, man."

"I'm fine," Cilan said shortly.

"How's Iris?" Dawn asked.

"She's fine, too. She's..." He paused to gather himself, and then he let out a quick laugh. "She's pregnant."

A short, stunned silence followed.

"Wow, Cilan, congratulations." Zoey was the first to speak. Her voice was pitched with mild shock.

"A lot better than being poisoned, that's for sure," Georgia added.

"So her fainting this morning... ?" Drew began inquisitively.

"She's anemic, too," Cilan admitted. "The doctor suspects it's induced by the pregnancy. He said she only needs to start taking some iron supplements and adjust her diet, though."

"What a relief..." May smiled, placing a hand on her chest as she sighed. "And how exciting! How far along is she?"

"He estimated seven weeks," Cilan answered.

"So almost two months? Hey, that means you're gonna have a baby, like, either late this year or early next!" Barry exclaimed. "Whoa, you're gonna be a _father_."

"Which means _we're_ gonna be uncles." Chili grinned, slinging an arm around Cress.

Cilan smiled weakly.

"I know," he said. "It, ah, hasn't quite sunk in yet... Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know. We're going to check out soon."

"We're just glad everything's okay," Dawn said. "Better than okay. That's great news. I'm happy for both of you!"

"Thank you. I'm-" Cilan paused to amend himself. "We're... We're happy, too."

_**May 28th, 2009. Evening. La Rousse City.**_

Elijah squinted his eyes as he moved through the crowd of other fliers, looking for the people who were meant to greet him when he arrived in the Hoenn utopia, La Rousse City. He finally caught sight of one such person, her distinct, blonde curls standing out in the throng of people.

"Good evening, Ana," Elijah greeted as he approached.

"Good evening," Ana tacitly replied. "How was your meeting with Iris?"

"Unsuccessful, I'm afraid," Elijah answered. "We parted on good terms, though, and I do hope she changes her mind in the coming weeks."

"You didn't hear, then?"

"Hear what?"

"She was admitted into the hospital. They fear someone tried to poison her."

Elijah raised his eyebrows.

"That's terrible!" he said. "I hope she pulls through. If she does, perhaps she'll change her mind quicker than I first imagined. I should send her flowers." He shook his head. "How is our other client?"

"Ill," she said. "Very ill."

"Such as shame," Elijah sighed. "It is ironic how the misfortune of one benefits others."

"We've run into a problem, though."

"That is?"

"He hasn't signed off on his will, yet," she said. "He wants to see his son first."

_**May 28th, 2009. Evening. Opelucid City.**_

"Well, if everything's okay now, then I'm ready to get out of here," Georgia said, suppressing a yawn. "Burgundy, do you need a ride?"

"Yes, please," Burgundy mumbled, standing. "I took the bus here."

"And what about you, Mr. Photographer?" Georgia turned to Trip, who blinked in surprise.

"Oh, I can just walk home," he dismissed.

"Where do you live?"

"On 44th and Thomas."

"That's a _long_ walk from here," Georgia scoffed. "Just come with us."

Trip appeared wary, but mumbled a thanks.

Georgia nodded before turning toward Burgundy and saying, "Get your stuff, Burgundy, we're leaving. I want to see if I can catch Iris checking out."

Burgundy rolled her eyes, but collected her purse anyway, preparing to go with them. Yet, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Cilan walking by with his brothers. He noticed her, too, as she caught his gaze. He then apparently told his brothers to go on without him, as they soon left him behind.

"Hang on," Burgundy told Georgia and Trip. She let Cilan approach her.

"I wouldn't have expected you to come and wait this whole day," he said when they met. "I'm very sorry for all this mess."

"Oh well, you know**—**" Burgundy folded her arms, averting her eyes. "—Karina wanted me to tell you she was worried, so here I am telling you."

"She is a sweetheart, that Karina," Cilan said. "How did class go after I left?"

"Okay, I guess." Burgundy shrugged, and Cilan only smiled.

"I really am grateful to you," he said. "I understand it must have been intimidating to suddenly be put in charge of a group of teenagers and be expected to teach them, especially since they probably had the sense that something was wrong. Is there anything I can for you in return?"

Burgundy's lip twitched.

"No," she said.

"Burgundy, are you coming?" Georgia called out to her.

"_Yes_," Burgundy replied, annoyed. She addressed Cilan again: "I'll see you in class Tuesday."

"Take care of yourself until then," he said. Burgundy nodded and turned to follow Georgia and Trip out. Cilan watched them for a moment before he, too, began to leave in a different direction.

"Wait," Burgundy said suddenly. Cilan stopped and and looked back at her, while she slowly turned to face him again.

"Could you..." She hesitated. "I mean, only if you have one... Could you print me a copy of the class roster? The one with the ID pictures? I think I'd like to memorize the students' names."

Cilan appeared briefly surprised, but he soon melted into another smile.

"I'd love to," he said.

"Thanks." Burgundy turned away again, but she threw her gaze over her shoulder one last time to make another comment. "And congratulations."

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry our meeting got interrupted today," Iris said sheepishly, speaking with Drew and the other CIU staffers. "I promise I'll go back home and look for that financial record again... without fainting."<p>

Zoey chuckled and said, "Really, we're just happy that you're all right."

"Thanks." Iris fiddled with her patient wristband, trying to slip it off. "Anyway, I hope-"

"-Hey—" Georgia came up from behind Iris, giving her a friendly smack on her backside. Iris looked up, and Georgia saluted her as she kept going toward the exit with Trip and Burgundy in tow. "—We're on our way out. Congratulations. Have fun being a parasitic host for the next seven months."

"Bye," Iris replied dryly.

"Who is she anyway?" Barry asked once she was gone.

"Georgia Hamilton," Iris answered. "She's the next member of the Unova Elite Four. You've all met her before, when she rescued us from the police station, and you probably saw her more recently at my inauguration."

"She seems like she's got quite a personality on her," Drew remarked.

"You have _no_ idea."

Cilan soon joined the group with Paul following close behind.

"You're all set," Cilan told Iris. "We can go home now."

"Good." Iris appeared relieved.

"What're you going to do about those news trucks in front of the hospital, though?" May inquired.

"Not a concern," Paul said gruffly. "I spoke with the hospital staff. We're leaving through a side entrance. Cole will pick us up."

"Sounds like a plan," Kenny said.

"Yeah," Iris agreed. "I'll see you guys soon. Good luck with launch tomorrow."

She turned away to leave with Cilan and Paul. Dawn, however, reached out to Paul, saying, "Paul, I'll see you at home."

Yet, he only grunted in response, and he soon disappeared with the couple. Dawn fell back with a worried expression.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe she's <em>pregnant<em>," Burgundy huffed, her arms folded. She sat in front passenger seat beside Georgia, while Trip occupied one of the back seats. "All this fuss because she's having a baby. Ridiculous."

"Paul really did botch this one," Georgia half-laughed.

"Don't speak badly of Paul," Trip grumbled.

"Not speaking badly, just speaking the truth," Georgia said.

"You know, you're as much at fault for this as him and me. You were there, and you're a part of Team Iris now. You panicked, too," Trip pointed out.

"I did_ not_ panic," Georgia scoffed. "And no, I'm not a part of 'Team Iris.' I never got the chance to finish my paperwork and fax it. Even when I do, I won't be a part of Team Iris. I will always be Team Me."

"It's cute how you stayed at the hospital all day, then," Trip remarked.

"Oh yeah? You wanna know what's really cute, though?" Georgia asked snidely. "_Burgundy_ staying at the hospital all day. She even sent me worried text messages after class. How sweet."

"Don't bring me into this." Burgundy grimaced. "Like I said, I'm trying to stay in Cilan's good favor. I need to get accepted into the S-Class program, and Cilan's the only way that's going to happen."

"Wow," Trip sighed. "Even after all this time, you two are still some of the most immature, self-serving people I've ever met."

"Hey, I'm giving you a ride home," Georgia reminded.

"I was fine with walking."

Georgia looked annoyed now, and she turned her head to glare back at him. Just as her eyes left the road, however, an adult male stumbled directly into her path.

"You know what-" she began angrily, but she was cut off when Burgundy shrieked. Georgia snapped her head forward again and slammed on the breaks. The man stopped in the middle of the road, looking at the car like a near-literal Deerling in the headlights. The car skidded to a halt, but not soon enough, and there was a sickening thump against the bumper as he went down.

The three sat in shock for a moment. Trip was the first to speak.

"Arceus, did you just hit someone?" he asked.

Georgia breathed out, brushing her hair away from her face.

"Just come on," she said, putting her car into park and throwing her door open to check on the victim. Trip and Burgundy followed suit. They found him lying crumpled in front of her car, unconscious. His black and white cap had fallen off, and his long, green hair was sprawled on the asphalt.

"Please don't be dead." Georgia sounded more angry than pleading as she dropped to the man's side. "I only hit you at 20 mph."

"I-I think he's still breathing," Burgundy said as she also leaned over him. She moved her hand to his neck. "He has a pulse."

"And something else—" Trip bent down and picked up the man's cap off the ground. He showed them the worn blue, black, and white patch that was loosely sewn on the front. "—This is the crest of Team Plasma on his hat."

A short silence ensued, and then Burgundy breathed in sharply.

"Trip, there's blood on that," she said, her voice shaking.

Trip blinked and looked down. Sure enough, the back rim was tainted with a thick red liquid, and it was dripping. The headlights also revealed another streak of red across the pavement, the man having fallen back and hitting his head when the car made impact. Georgia growled, though she seemed more shaken now, too, as she stood and headed back into her car to retrieve her phone from the cupholder.

"I'm calling for an ambulance," she said. "Looks like we're going back to the hospital."

* * *

><p>"It is a shame Cress and Chili had to leave so soon, just after getting here," Cilan sighed as he guided Iris into the dark living room. He flicked on the lights and dropped his bag off on the chair. It has been a long day, and he was glad they were finally home. "I understand, though, with the restaurant. They did say they wanted to come visit us under better circumstances soon, perhaps next weekend..."<p>

Iris looked at him strangely. She didn't know why he was talking about this; the topic seemed inane compared to the matter at hand.

"Once things settle down more, it might be nice for us to go down there, too, instead of the other way around," Cilan continued. "We could stop by the Village of Dragons as well if-"

"-Cilan," Iris cut him off, having heard enough. She wanted to get to the thing that was on both their minds.

"Yes?"

"We are..." She took in a deep breath. "We are not ready to have kids. Not with you just getting into teaching, not with me just becoming Champion—especially since someone just tried to kill me several weeks ago, and everyone thought someone tried to kill me again today."

Cilan paused, staring at her soberly for a long moment.

"You're right. We're not ready to have children," he quietly agreed. "But I don't think anyone ever is."

"That does not make me feel better."

"Then take comfort in that you're not due until January," he said. "We have plenty of time before then. And even when he—or she—comes, we'll be okay. I'll take the spring semester off next year. It won't be a problem. I could send an email for President Poltiere tonight, if you wanted."

Iris groaned.

"I don't want you to take a semester off," she said. "That would make me feel even more guilty."

"Guilty?" Cilan's expression twisted with confusion. "Why are you feeling guilty?"

"I don't know, I just—agh!" Iris fell back onto the sofa. "I feel like I cause so many for problems for so many people. For you, for Paul, for Leaf, for all my friends. I'm a huge inconvenience, and I know I'm definitely holding back Paul and Leaf. I haven't even picked a chief for the new G-Men yet."

"You did pick a new Elite Four member, though," Cilan reminded.

"Go me."

"It's true." He shrugged.

Iris frowned, sinking further into the cushions.

"What's worse," she began, "is that I feel like I should be happy. We're having a baby! Everyone else seems excited! I'm not so sure I am, though."

Cilan smiled weakly.

"I'll admit..." He also sat down, wrapping an arm around her. "... I'm just as apprehensive as you. I _do_ know we'll be just fine, though. I love you, and I've always known I wanted to have children with you. It's just happening a bit earlier than we might have planned."

"Not _always_," Iris corrected.

"The point still stands."

Iris's lips curved into a small smile.

"Well, I love you, too," she said. "And I... I also know we'll be okay."

He pulled her into a kiss, and she quickly melted against him. The sound of a vibrating cell phone interrupted them, however, as it rattled against some type of hard surface.

"I think that's yours." Cilan pulled a mere inch away, his words hot on her face.

"Mhm..."

"You should get it," he encouraged. "It's probably Leaf, or another friend concerned for your wellbeing."

"Right." Iris untangled herself from him as she stood, seeking the device. She found it on the table when she heard it vibrate again.

"Hello?" Iris said when she picked up. She paused, listening. "Georgia... ?"

.

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**End of Part I: The Impact**

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_Part II to begin in two weeks._


	8. VII: In Which Solidad Reprises Her Role

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**Part II: The Infection**

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Chapter VII: In Which Solidad Reprises Her Role

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_**May 29th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"You'll continue down the hallway, and her office will be to your right," Agent Gray directed Burgundy, pointing down the passageway. "Good luck."

Burgundy nodded, unnerved by her well wishes. She received a call early that morning from Cilan, of all people, informing her that her presence was requested at the Opelucid Gym. They—and he didn't clarify who fell under this umbrella term—were apparently meeting to discuss last night's events.

She fixed her hair as she walked, pulling her long curls behind her shoulders. When she reached the cracked-open door, she peered inside and found that Iris was indeed there—and she was joined by, of course, her husband, as well as Paul, Trip, and Georgia. All five looked up when they heard her arrive.

"Hi, Burgundy," Iris said kindly. "Sit anywhere you like."

Burgundy hesitantly pushed the door open just enough for her to slide inside. She chose a seat next to Georgia, which, ironically, was also next to Cilan. No one said anything further for a long moment. Burgundy frowned. She found it strange; for something that was supposed to be discussion, there wasn't a lot of discussing.

"Don't worry," Cilan said as he leaned toward her, speaking in just above a whisper. "She won't be mad at you."

Burgundy blinked and cast him a wary look.

"Who won't?"

Suddenly, the door swung fully open, the handle hitting the doorstop, and there stood Leaf. She was expressionless, and her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, while her loose gray dress hung slightly wrinkled from her waist down. She was visibly tired; the skin beneath her blue eyes had grayed. Her hand still grasped the handle of her wheeled suitcase, and Agent Murray stood behind her.

No one said anything. Then, she cleared her throat.

"Agent Murray, can you please step out for a few minutes?" she asked. He nodded and closed the door. Leaf pulled her suitcase up beside her and pushed the handle down. She straightened up, putting her hands on her hips and tightly closing the gap between her thighs.

She breathed in, and then out.

"Good morning," she began in a scarily pleasant tone. "Sleep well? I didn't."

Her comment was met with silence.

"You want to know why I didn't sleep?" Leaf went on. "Because I had to pack in the middle of the night to catch a red-eye flight to Opelucid City so I could stand before you on this beautiful morning."

More silence.

"You know, yesterday was just _fantastic_." Leaf now spoke with a thick sarcasm. "Really, it was something else. Paul, you—" She turned to him, acknowledging him with her hand. "—you truly outdid yourself. In the history of the G-Men's screw-ups, an ever-growing list it seems, this has got to be one of my favorites."

Paul's lip twitched, but he said nothing.

"How did it get to this?" Leaf asked. "How is that the whole nation thinks someone made a second assassination attempt on Iris yesterday when she is actually _pregnant_? This isn't a rhetorical question. I genuinely want to know. What happened?"

"It started because Iris had a meeting with SAMPLe," Paul began.

"Who?"

"They're a rescue," Iris jumped in.

"And they're relevant because... ?" Leaf's patience was thinning.

"The representative they sent seemed a little slimy," Trip said. "Paul didn't like him, and I didn't either. We were there to make sure nothing went wrong."

"And you two clearly did a fine job, but go on," Leaf said bitterly.

"We stayed out in the hall, Iris met with him, and when she came out, she looked sick," Paul continued. "Then, when she passed out while meeting with Drew and the others, I noticed there was a drink on her desk and..."

Leaf stared.

"That's _it_?" she said disbelievingly. "You thought she had been poisoned because there was _a drink_ on her desk?! Paul, this isn't a game of Battleship. You can't just make a wild guess and hope you hit something."

"I-" he began defensively, but she cut him off.

"-No, I'm not done yet," she snapped. "This is something that should _not_ have resulted in a hospital trip. Did Iris need to see a doctor? Yes. But we did not need a dramatic trip to the emergency room. And on that note, Iris, if you're not feeling well, for love of Mew, go see a doctor."

Iris sheepishly nodded.

"This has been blown way out of proportion," Leaf said. "Really, it all could have been avoided entirely—Iris fainting, the poisoning fiasco, even this car accident—and that's the most frustrating part. I'm supposed to be training for my match against Ash, and instead, I'm here cleaning up all _your_ mess. The media has had a heyday with this. Thank goodness they don't know about the accident yet."

"I have no idea how they would have even figured out we were worried about Iris being poisoned," Paul protested, finally getting the chance to try to defend himself. "That isn't my fault."

"Oh really?" Leaf challenged. "Because I could think of a few ways this could have leaked. Hmm, let's see... Well, there are our friends on the CIU staff. One of them could have called the office to let everyone know what had happened, and it could have easily gotten out from there. Or maybe one of Cilan's students overheard something when he left class, and they texted 'LOL our professor's wife was poisoned' on blast to all their friends. Or maybe a friend or family member of another patient caught wind of the story in the hospital, or maybe even a nurse snitched on us. The point is, it's there, it happened, and now I've got to fix it."

She paused and took in a deep breath, calming herself.

"There is a very important lesson you three—" Leaf pointed to Paul, and then to Cilan and Iris. "—need to learn: Your lives are now public property. Anything you say, anything you do, anything that happens to you... There is a chance it will end up a headline on some website somewhere. Is it fair? No. But that's the reality. You _have_ to be careful."

"I'm sorry," Georgia interjected, annoyed, "but I can't see how this is as terrible as you make it out to be. Iris being pregnant is a good thing. It sure beats actually being poisoned."

"No, it's not a good thing, and I'll tell you why," Leaf countered. "People are already skeptical of having Iris as a leader, and it's going to draw a lot of criticism for her to be starting a family when she, theoretically, should be focusing on snagging Team Plasma. Do you know why Cynthia kept it secret for months that she was pregnant with Emily? Because the nation was in crisis, and she would be unfairly demonized for a perceived lack of priorities. Yes, it's sexist. But still, for our hand to be forced in announcing a pregnancy this early is embarrassing. And then there's the car accident..."

She stopped, shaking her head.

"You three were the only ones involved, right?" she asked, now addressing Georgia, Trip, and Burgundy.

"Other than the guy Georgia hit? Yeah," Trip said, and Georgia sent him a nasty look.

"The man with the crest of Team Plasma on his hat?" Leaf pressed. "And how is he?"

"Currently unconscious, but stable," Cilan answered. "Several broken ribs, broken arm, cracked skull."

"Okay..." Leaf trailed off, and then looked specifically at Burgundy, who straightened up. "Now, who are you?"

"Burgundy Myers. I'm Cilan's TA," Burgundy quickly answered.

"Uh-huh..." Leaf turned to Georgia next. "And I remember you. You're Georgia Hamilton, Iris's pick for her Elite Four."

"Yup." Georgia nodded.

Leaf stared at her for a long moment. Then, she let out a sigh.

"There isn't an easy way to say this: Georgia, you're going to have to resign," Leaf said. Burgundy drew in a sharp breath, and Trip frowned, casting Georgia a quick glance. Cilan appeared troubled, while Iris looked alarmed. Georgia herself, however, was expressionless. Leaf continued, "Iris cannot take another hit to her reputation. I don't need the Unova Championship to turn into a bigger soap opera than it already is, and since you haven't been publicly announced as the new Elite Four member, we can just quietly part ways."

"_What?_" Iris said disbelievingly.

"Resignation isn't even necessary," Georgia said. Her expression remained even, showing no signs or surprise or even disappointment. "I never finished my paperwork. I haven't signed my contract yet. I can just leave and get out of Iris's tangled mass of hair."

"Even better."

"No, I'm sorry. This is where I put my foot down," Iris said firmly. "I am _not_ going to make Georgia leave because of the accident. It wasn't even her fault. He was jaywalking."

"Do you think other people care?" Leaf asked.

"I don't care what other people think, actually," Iris countered.

"You can't afford to take that attitude," Leaf fought back.

"I'll take out a loan, then."

"Iris, listen here-" Leaf started, but she was cut off.

"-No, _you_ listen." Iris's voice rose as did she, catching everyone in the room, including Leaf, off-guard. "This is _my_ division. You cannot come here and tell my Elite Four member what to do. Georgia stays—unless she decides to leave herself."

Now Georgia appeared surprised, her eyes wide and confused. The others shared similar expressions, and Leaf wasn't sure what to say for a long moment.

"... Fine," Leaf finally gave in. "But we're not going to announce her as the new Elite Four member for a while, then."

"How long?" Iris asked.

"Several weeks, at the very least," Leaf answered. She then addressed Georgia, saying, "You're not as important a public figure as a gym leader. So if it comes out, it probably won't blow up. In fact, maybe we can prevent the news from getting out at all, if everyone in this room just _stays quiet_ about it. Am I understood?"

"Y-Yes," Georgia said, and the others nodded, too.

"Understand, too, Iris, that this comes at a cost." Leaf turned back to Iris. "It's not going to look good on you to have an empty space in the Elite Four for as long as you'll have it. It'll make people think you're struggling to fill the position _because_ of the mess that is the Unova Championship, or that you're just a lame Ducklett."

"Yeah, well," Iris began with a tired sigh, "I'm pregnant. I'm sure _some_ people will understand."

Leaf said nothing in response. She rubbed the back of her neck—it still had a crick in it from the long flight—and looked away, thinking.

"Where is the CIU office?" she started anew. "I need to speak with Drew and the others, too. Paul, can you ask Dawn for the address?"

"Mm," Paul replied.

"Is that a yes or no?" Leaf asked, annoyed.

"Yes."

"Thank you," Leaf said shortly. Cilan rose to his feet, standing alongside Iris.

"Leaf, I can show you to our guest room," he said. "You can use the washroom to clean up before you head to the CIU office."

"That'd be nice, thank you." She grabbed the handle of her suitcase again and opened the door. Agent Murray was still waiting outside. She told him, "I'm going to need another ride to the CIU office soon."

"Understood, Ms. Greene," he said as she left the room.

Cilan was about to follow, but at the last moment, he turned to Burgundy and said, "Thank you for coming. I'm sorry to interrupt your morning with all this."

"Yeah," Iris added, addressing the whole of the group. "Sorry you all had to listen to Leaf yell for ten minutes. Georgia, are you going to finish that paperwork?"

"I, uh..." Georgia sounded uncharacteristically uncertain. She understood it was an indirect question of whether she still wanted to be a part of the Elite Four. "It's sitting home on my desk. I can finish it tonight and fax it later. I mean, I'm apparently not in a rush since you guys don't want to announce it for several weeks."

"Sure. Take your time," Iris said. "Anyway, you guys can go. I don't want to talk your ear off anymore than Leaf already did."

Cilan kindly held the door for Burgundy, Georgia, and Trip before leaving to find Leaf. Iris and Paul stayed behind in the office, with Paul getting out his phone to text Dawn.

Down the hallway, Trip pressed the button on the elevator to go down. When the doors opened, Georgia and Burgundy stepped inside with him.

"That was intense," was all Burgundy could say when the doors closed again and they were alone.

"Leaf can be an intense person," Trip dismissed. "When she gets mad, she gets really mad."

"I can see that," Georgia said. The elevator doors opened again, and the three headed out together.

"You know, Iris really did you a solid," Trip said, turning to Georgia.

"She didn't need to," Georgia said. "I had a feeling they were going to ask me to resign when I got the call this morning. I did not expect Iris to... well..."

"None of us did. And you know why?" Trip asked. "Leaf outranks Iris, not just in experience, but in a very technical sense, too—and Iris went to bat for you anyway. You should be grateful."

Georgia was silent for a moment as she brushed her bangs out of her face.

"Do you two want to get some breakfast?" she asked suddenly. "On me."

"Breakfast?" Burgundy blinked.

"Since we're all here," Georgia explained in brief.

"Well, I'm for it," Burgundy said. "I wasn't able to eat when I left my apartment this morning."

"Yeah, with the kind of money you don't make, you'd be stupid to turn down free food," Georgia sassed her before turning her eye back toward Trip. "And you?"

Initially, he hesitated. Then, he gave in, saying, "Sure, why not."

* * *

><p>"Us, Iris, us, Iris, us, us..." Zoey mumbled as she flipped through the news channels, checking the coverage. She sighed and set the remote down. "Well, it's better than I thought! I suppose since Iris went to the hospital yesterday and her office still hasn't commented on it yet, they're running out of things to talk about, so they're focusing on us."<p>

"That's good, isn't it?" May asked.

"It's good until Iris _does_ say something," Zoey explained. "Contests coming to Unova is big news, but so is the Unova Champion being pregnant, and we'll be competing for airtime."

Dawn frowned, but perked up when she felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. She pulled it out and was surprised to see she had a text from Paul; he rarely messaged her. She opened it up and read it: 'Where is your office?' She furrowed her eyebrows, appearing a little apprehensive as she typed out the address and sent it. She then set the phone down.

"What is it?" May asked, noticing her friend's expression.

"Paul just asked me for the address to the office," Dawn answered.

"The CIU office?" Zoey inquired.

"Mhm," Dawn hummed affirmatively. "I think... he might be coming here? Maybe?"

"Oh, that'll be nice!" May said. "We don't get to see Paul that much."

"I think he wants to talk to me about yesterday," Dawn said.

"What about yesterday? I mean, the hospital trip or... ?" May asked.

"I think she means what happened before we met with Iris," Zoey said. "When Drew made that comment."

Dawn lowered her eyes.

"Yeah..." she admitted, trailing off. "He was mad. I wanted to talk to him about it when I got home, but he got pulled into something else, so it never ended up happening."

"I've got to say, I'm a bit surprised you talked to _Drew_ about relationship problems with Paul and not us," Zoey said.

"It was just something I wanted Drew's insight on," Dawn dismissed.

"'Not paying enough attention to your girlfriend?'" Zoey repeated the words used. "I know there are a couple of ways you can interpret that, but the one that comes to mind-"

"-You know," Dawn coughed. "I'd rather not talk about this now. Him coming is a good thing—and kind of a surprise, honestly. Paul's usual solution to fixing problems is ignoring them."

"_Yo!_" Barry yelled out into the office as he burst through the doors with Drew and Kenny in tow. He pointed to the stack of large, thin boxes in his hands and said, "We got pizza!"

There were a couple of delighted gasps and even a holler as the three men carried the pizza to a table and organized stacks by toppings. Drew slid a plastic bag hanging from his arm down into his hand and pulled out paper plates and other utensils. The staff began to gather around to grab a slice.

"What's all this for?" May asked, approaching her boyfriend.

"Just a little something to celebrate launch today," Drew said.

"Isn't it a little early for pizza?" Ursula asked snidely.

"It is never too early for pizza," Kenny protested. "They actually say it's a good food to have for breakfast. One slice can have all five food groups: grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy, and most importantly, meat. It's a literal superfood."

"Well, _I'm_ not complaining," Grace said, grabbing a plate, and others soon followed her lead. Within several minutes, everyone had managed to get a piece of the so-called superfood.

"So, what's happened since we've been gone?" Drew asked when he finally settled down, being the last to retrieve a slice for himself.

"People have already started donating on our online donation pool," Kelly said.

"How much?"

"We recently hit $7,000," Tim answered.

"That's a... start," Drew said. It didn't even make a dent in what they needed.

"We have more likes and followers every time I refresh our Facebook and Twitter," Ursula offered.

"That's also a start."

"A good start, I'd say." Everyone's heads turned toward the door, and a breath of shock swept across nearly the entire group when they saw Leaf Greene, the Indigo Champion, standing there. Those who knew Leaf, however—Drew, May, Dawn, Zoey, Kenny, and Barry—seemed more confused than surprised, feeling no sense of being starstruck.

Leaf smiled wryly and strode toward the circle.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" she asked.

"Nah, we're just enjoying the fruits of our labor," Barry said. "Want some pizza?"

"I'll pass, but thank you." She looked directly at Drew. "I need to talk to you and the other five privately. The other five—you know who you are."

Drew nodded and set his plate down, brushing the bread dust off his hands.

"We can go out into the hallway," he said.

"Thank you," Leaf replied, letting him lead the way. Once they had gone, the rest of the staff began to speak among themselves in curious whispers. Kenny closed the door behind them as they left.

"This place is a lot closer to the Opelucid Gym than I thought," Leaf remarked distractedly. "It only took Agent Murray a couple minutes to get me here. It's nice, too."

"So, what _are_ you doing here?" Kenny asked. "I don't think any of us knew you were in Unova."

"I arrived under two hours ago," Leaf replied. "I got a call at midnight with some unfavorable news, had to pack up, wake up Gary, and make him drive me to the airport."

"Oh, so..." Dawn began, feeling her heart fall. "... Paul isn't with you?"

"No," Leaf drawled, drawing out the 'o.' "I imagine he doesn't want anything to do with me right now. I kind of chewed him out this morning. He's still at the Opelucid Gym."

Dawn nodded, disappointed. Paul had asked for the address so Leaf could come to the office. He, himself wasn't coming. Zoey frowned and cast Dawn a quick glance, knowing she would be upset.

"I get it. This is about Iris being pregnant, isn't it?" Drew asked.

Leaf hummed, nodding. She then said, "I haven't watched any TV at all since yesterday. Is your campaign getting attention?"

"We're actually doing okay," Zoey answered. "It's been a _little_ slow, but we are getting coverage, and people are donating and following our social media profiles—which you probably heard when we walked in."

"I bet it'll pick up more speed when DJ Mary talks about it on her show today," Kenny added.

"Good. I want to keep it that way," Leaf said. "I'd hate for the news of Iris's pregnancy to swallow up your launch and slow down momentum. That's why I don't want to say anything about it until tomorrow, to make sure you guys keep the spotlight."

"Leaf, that would be..." Drew pressed his hands together, grateful. "Thank you."

"Not a problem," she said. "I only ask for one thing in return: I want to keep things quiet about the accident, and it'd be great if you didn't say anything about it."

"Accident?" May asked, confused. "You mean Iris fainting?"

"Well, _that_, but..." Leaf appeared wary. "You didn't hear?"

"Hear what?" Zoey pressed.

"Ah..." Leaf hesitated. "Trip was in a car accident yesterday coming from the hospital. He's fine. I just want to keep it on the DL."

"We didn't hear anything about that!" Barry exclaimed.

"I'm glad he's okay, though," May added.

"Yeah, now that you know, just don't say anything about it." Leaf glanced behind her. "I have to go. Good luck with your campaign. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

"Thanks for dropping in," Kenny said.

"For sure. Have a nice day, and congratulations on launch." Leaf turned around and headed for the elevator. Drew shook his head and opened the door back into the office, and the six shuffled inside.

"Why would Leaf want to keep a car accident with Trip a secret?" May asked in a low voice. "I mean, he's only the league photographer. I wouldn't think it would be that big a deal, especially since he wasn't hurt..."

"I'm pretty sure Trip left with Georgia and that other girl," Zoey said. "Georgia's supposed to be Iris's new Elite Four member. _That's_ why she wants to keep it a secret."

"Oh." May's eyes widened. "That makes sense."

"She's a sly one, that Leaf," Drew half-grumbled.

"Zoey!" Zoey perked up when she heard her name called, and she looked to the side to see Brianna jogging toward her. "There's someone from PNN on the line, and they asked to speak with the person in charge of media relations. They'd like to have Mr. Drew on air for a video chat interview this afternoon, to talk about the campaign."

Zoey and Drew exchanged quick glances, and both smirked. PNN was one of the most popular news channels in the nation; having Drew, already well-known for being a Top Coordinator (among other things), would do wonders for their campaign. Drew nodded to Zoey, and she turned back to Brianna.

"I think we can set something up."

* * *

><p>"That was short," Agent Murray remarked when Leaf slid back into the front passenger seat of the vehicle outside the building. Although the engine was off, the air conditioning was still running to keep the car cool in the summer weather.<p>

"It didn't need to be long," Leaf dismissed. "They're busy anyway, and I didn't want to eat up a lot of their time."

"Paul called me and wanted me to convey a message to you," Agent Murray continued as Leaf settled herself, shutting the door and buckling her seatbelt.

"He called you but not me?" Leaf laughed. "Wow, he _is_ mad. Good. What does he want?"

"The victim in yesterday's accident is apparently now conscious," he said.

"Oh..." Leaf trailed off. "Well... I guess we know where we're going next."

_**May 29th, 2009. Late Morning. Slateport City.**_

"Hey, hun?" Harley poked his head into the living room, where Solidad was reaching on the coach, using her napping Ninetails as a pillow. "I'm going to run some errands. Is there anything you want me to pick up for you? Snacks? Nail polish? A dildo?"

"I'm good, thank you," Solidad tacitly replied. "What errands you running?"

"Oh, you know, you're usual cutesy domestic stuff," Harley answered. "Paying off the credit card, getting some groceries, stopping by our local erotica shop to flirt with the man behind the counter. I'm buying some alcohol afterward as a reward."

"Sounds like you have an exciting day ahead of you."

"I do. You know how to reach me if you change your mind and decide you want something~" Harley trilled before disappearing.

Solidad shook her head and resumed reading when she heard him exit through the front door. She was yet again interrupted, however, when she heard her new phone ring. The noise disturbed her Ninetails, who shifted in his sleep, and Solidad sat up and reached for the device on the coffee table. It was an unknown number, and for a moment, she considered turning the phone off—she guessed it was probably a telemarketer, and she didn't want that cutting into her precious no-Harley time—but she picked up anyway.

"Hello?" she asked.

"_Hello, I'm looking to speak with Solidad Natochenny._" The voice was smooth, oily, like it indeed could have belonged to a salesman.

"This is her."

"_Ah. My name is Elijah, and I'm currently overseeing the care for Christopher Rogers. It's my understanding that you're the legal guardian of his son, Andrew._"

Solidad stopped, slowly sitting up straighter. Definitely not a telemarketer; in fact, she might have preferred a telemarketer.

"I... was..." she began cautiously. "I think there's been some type of miscommunication. Drew is 22-years-old, a grown adult. I was his guardian for only three years, until he turned 18."

"_An adult?_"

"Yes," Solidad affirmed.

"_If that's the case, would you mind providing his contact information?_" Elijah asked.

"Why are you looking to talk to Drew?" Solidad sounded wary. She was not going to give away Drew's personal information that easily, especially not to someone apparently associated with his father.

"_His father wants to see him._"

"I can assure you that Drew does not want to see him," Solidad half-laughed.

A long pause followed, and Solidad sensed an air of tension in it.

"_I apologize, Ms. Natochenny, for perhaps I have not effectively conveyed the gravity of the situation,_" Elijah finally spoke again. "_Mr. Rogers is gravely ill. His skin cancer has recurred._"

"His cancer?" Solidad's eyebrows shot up.

"_Yes. Were either you or Andrew aware that he was diagnosed?_" he asked.

"We knew..." Solidad said. "How serious is it?"

"_Very, I'm afraid,_" Elijah replied soberly. "_He's in hospice, too weak to go undergo chemotherapy. His doctors predict he only has only a month left to live, if that. His health is rapidly deteriorating._"

Solidad was at a loss for words. She sat there silently for a moment, processing this new information. Ninetails looked up at her with concern, sensing her distress.

"_Ms. Natochenny, are you still there?_" Elijah asked after a while.

"I am," Solidad said, rubbing her temple with her free hand. "I'm just in shock, I suppose."

"_I'll ask again: Are you willing to provide Andrew's contact information?_"

"No," Solidad replied firmly, without hesitation. "... But I will talk to him and let him know. If he decides to go to La Rousse, that's his prerogative."

"_Will you pass my number along to him?_"

"I'll give him the one saved in my phone," Solidad said.

"_Thank you, Ms. Natochenny. I hope to hear from Andrew soon._" And the line went dead.

_**May 29th, 2009. Late Morning. Opelucid City.**_

It has been years since Leaf last visited the Opelucid City Hospital, wherein she had spent time as both a patient and a visitor within the span of two days, and by the looks of the lobby, it hadn't changed since then. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.

"_What?_" Paul grumbled when he picked up.

"Hey, are you here?" Leaf asked.

"_Where's here?_"

"The hospital."

"_No._"

"Well, you need to come. You can't stop being an active member in this investigation."

"_Aren't you afraid I'll add another bullet point to the growing list of G-Men screw-ups?_" Paul asked sarcastically.

"Stop being a baby and get down here," Leaf scoffed. "It's a short drive. Ask Agent Gray to take you."

"_Should I bring Iris?_"

"No. I don't want her to be seen anywhere near a hospital."

"_Fine. I'll see you soon._" He hung up, and Leaf rolled her eyes. She dropped her cell phone back into her pocket and approached the front desk to speak with the receptionist.

"I need to visit the patient that was brought in late last night after a car accident," she said.

The receptionist was filling out some paperwork, and she didn't looks up when Leaf spoke.

"Are you a family member of said patient?" the receptionist asked.

"No."

"Then I'm afraid-"

"-I'm sorry, I don't think I made myself clear." Leaf cut her off as she reached into her wallet and pulled out her G-Men badge. "I need to see this patient."

The receptionist finally looked up and recognized her.

"My apologies, Ms. Greene," she said. "Do you know the name of this patient?"

"I don't." Leaf shook her head. "How many people come in for car accidents in the middle of the night?"

"You'd be surprised."

Leaf let out a frustrated sigh and tapped her fingers on the counter as she thought.

"... He was apparently wearing a hat with the crest of Team Plasma on the front," Leaf offered.

"Oh... That one," she said, her tone piquing Leaf's interest. The receptionist typed something into her computer, searching for his location. "Third floor, room 306." She then slid a visitor badge toward Leaf. "Good luck..."

"Thank you." Leaf took the badge, pushed herself off the desk, and headed down the hallway, toward an elevator. She pressed the 'up' button and stepped inside. She pulled out her cell phone again and texted Paul the information to the room, to save him a little time with the front desk. When the elevator doors opened again, she headed out into the hallway and passed by several rooms, looking for the one labeled '306.' When she found it, she walked straight up to it, knocked once, and then opened the door.

A nurse was currently attending to the patient sitting inside, and she looked at Leaf with wide eyes. The patient himself, a man with long green hair and steely blue eyes, appeared far less alarmed. He looked at Leaf curiously, his eyes studying her. A bandage was wrapped around his head, and he was wearing a cast on one of his arms.

"Sorry, did the receptionist not call and say I was coming?" Leaf asked.

"N-No," the nurse answered.

"Well, I'm here," Leaf said.

"A visitor?" the patient spoke up, sounding pleasantly surprised. "I wasn't expecting a visitor."

"Hi." Leaf immediately went to shake his unbroken hand. "My name is Leaf Greene."

He appeared somewhat estranged by the gesture, her grabbing his hand and shaking it. He didn't reciprocate, confusion patterned across his face, as if he didn't _know_ he was supposed grasp her hand, too. He shook off the alienation in his expression, however, and replaced it with a smile.

"I'm N," he said.

"... N?" Leaf pulled away, disaffected by his odd behavior. "As in, the letter N?"

"Yes." N nodded. The nurse pulled her things together and quickly left the two alone.

"Is N short for something?" Leaf asked.

"Oh, yes. I'm sorry," N laughed. "My full name is Natural Harmonia Gropius."

"Natural Harmonia-" Leaf stopped short. "That's, uh, quite a mouthful. Is 'Natural' a pseudonym? Is there maybe a different name on your birth certificate?"

"I don't own a birth certificate," N said.

"No?"

"You see, I was raised by Pokémon in the wild," N said. "And I'm afraid they don't issue birth certificates like humans do."

Leaf stared. Then, she let out a nervous laugh.

"You must have hit your head pretty hard yesterday, huh?" she said, still trying to sound pleasant.

"I think I'm doing quite fine, actually," N replied. "I was a little dazed when I first woke up, but I feel much better now. My head still hurts some, but other than that, I'm doing well."

"I... imagine your head would still hurt," Leaf said. "You were hit by a car. I was told you ran out in front of it."

"Oh, I didn't do that purposefully," N quickly said.

"I'm not saying you did it purposefully, but-"

"-I just didn't realize there was a road there," N cut her off; Leaf didn't realize he hadn't finished speaking. Leaf stared at him again, and she was beginning to wonder whether she was wasting her time.

N silently watched her, too, and after a while, he asked, "Why are you talking to me, by the way?"

Leaf sighed.

"To be honest, I was actually interested when I heard about your hat," she admitted.

"My hat?"

"It has the crest of Team Plasma on it."

"What's so special about that?" he asked. The question was genuine, as if he sincerely couldn't fathom why anyone would be interested in something that would associate him with the largest criminal organization in Unova.

"Team Plasma is anti-league," Leaf said simply.

"It is." N nodded.

Leaf's lips quirked into a strange smile.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" she asked, amused.

"I do. You told me. You're Leaf Greene," N replied, chuckling.

"Leaf Greene, the Champion of the Kanto and Johto regions," Leaf clarified.

"Oh..." There was a change in N's expression, and he appeared a little less friendly, and a lot more wary. Leaf knew it was a risk telling him of her league association, but she was willing to see where this change carried her.

"Team Plasma tried to assassinate one of my friends earlier this month," Leaf went on. "Iris Ajagara is the new Champion of the Unova League, so I know that Team Plasma doesn't like the league very much."

"We didn't try to assassinate her," N protested. Leaf noted the 'we'; he indeed did identify himself as a part of the collective organization. She was also intrigued, however, by his insistence this wasn't an assassination attempt.

"Barret Dunstan had a gun on him, and he was walking toward the stage," she reminded him. She wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know this. He seemed disconnected from reality.

"Yes, I know," N replied. "But there was no intention of _killing_ her."

Leaf scratched out her previous line of thinking.

"Then what _was_ the intention?" Leaf asked.

Before N could answer, the door opened again, but instead of a nurse, Paul slid inside.

"It's about time you got here," Leaf grumbled.

"I got call from Mr. Goodshow, for you," Paul said, ignoring her statement.

"Ugh..." Leaf pressed her hands into her face and moaned. "I completely forgot to tell him I was leaving for Unova. He's probably freaking out, wanting to plan for the match against Ash..."

"Against Ash?" N suddenly interjected, perking up.

"Yes, Ash Ketchum," Leaf said.

"I know Ash." N then amended, "At least, I've heard of him."

"Yeah, who hasn't heard of Ash Ketchum?" Paul scoffed.

"I heard about him from his brother," N continued. "Ash is the one who doesn't keep his partner, Pikachu, in a Pokéball; the one who journeyed in the wilderness for months so he could liberate Moltres and Mewtwo, isn't he?"

Leaf inhaled sharply and then looked to Paul, who appeared equally surprised. Neither knew what to say. N lowered his head, thinking. His lips had curved back into a smile.

"I'll make you a deal, Ms. Greene," he began unexpectedly. "If you can arrange for Ash and I to meet, I'll tell you what you want to know about Team Plasma."

Leaf stayed silent, hesitant.

"Paul, I need to speak with you in the hallway," she said, though her eyes never left N.

* * *

><p>The living quarters of the Opelucid Gym were silent and empty when Cilan entered through the door with a grocery bag slung over his shoulder, and he cast a concerned look about the place. He had initially checked Iris's office when he returned to the gym, but that was empty as well, and now he had no idea where everyone had gone.<p>

"Iris, are you here?" he finally called out.

A short, muffled "yes" followed, and Cilan quirked an eyebrow and rounded the sofa to find Iris laying face-down in the cushions, her arm and her hair hanging off the side.

"Are you okay?" Cilan knelt beside her. "You're not feeling dizzy again, are you?

"I'm fine." Iris's head rose. "I'm just bored."

"Where's Paul?"

"He went to the hospital. The guy from Team Plasma woke up this morning," she explained. "He didn't let me go with him, though. Leaf, apparently, doesn't want me 'seen anywhere near a hospital.'"

Cilan offered her a crooked smile.

"You do realize they're not trying to be exclusive, right? They're trying to look out for your best interests," he said.

"I wish they'd stop," Iris grumbled.

"Iris..."

"I do." She sat up, leaving an open spot on the sofa, which Cilan then took. "I feel so useless, and I'm so tired of breathing in stale air conditioning. Yesterday was the first time I'd been outside the gym in weeks."

"I know it hasn't been fun for you," Cilan sympathized.

"'Not fun' is an understatement."

"I promise we'll visit the Village of Dragons when this blows over," he assured her.

"Which is when? After I lose the title?" A short silence followed, with Cilan unsure of what he could say in response. Iris eventually sighed and added, "I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated."

"I know," Cilan said. "If it's any consolation, I'm really proud of you for what you did this morning. For Georgia."

"Oh, that? That was nothing," Iris said with a wave of her hand. "I know Leaf was mad, but I wasn't going to let Georgia fall on the sword."

"All the same," Cilan continued, "you worry a lot about being a good leader. You certainly were one today."

Iris's lips twitched into a smile but she averted her gaze. As earnest as he was, Iris was not entirely sure she believed his words, as sweet as they were for him to say and for her to hear. Nevertheless, Cilan smiled, too, before he brought the grocery bag onto his lap.

"I brought you some things," he started anew, reaching into the bag.

"What?" Iris asked curiously.

"Prenatal vitamins." Cilan pulled out a medicinal bottle and displayed it nearby on the coffee table. "And Ganlon Berries." He then pulled out one of the fist-sized fruits and handed it to her. "They're rich in iron, typically used in Pokemon food to support defensive power, but they're good for humans, too—like pregnant women with iron deficiencies."

"Oh! It's been a while since I last had one of these!" Iris bit into the berry. "Not bad, either."

"Good!" Cilan stood with the grocery bag and retrieved the bottle of vitamins. "You should consume them as voraciously as you did our supply of Leppa Berries."

"Will do," Iris said. As Cilan turned toward the kitchen to put everything away, Iris reached for and grasped the sleeve of his shirt. "Hey..." She tugged on his sleeve, and he leaned down so she could kiss him. "I am sorry. I know it's not fun for you, either."

Cilan straightened up again.

"Well," he began slowly, "I knew what I was signing up for."

_**February 3rd, 2004. Afternoon. Striaton City.**_

Although the day was only halfway finished, Cilan was already exhausted—mentally, physically, the whole gamut. Tuesdays were always the worst; they required he wake himself at the bright and early hour of 6:30 a.m. to dress appropriately for a nearly three-hour 7:30 a.m. class at the PCA Striaton City campus. From there, he hurried to make the first of three classes at Striaton University, where he was majoring in Social and Behavioral Sciences. He was finished with school by 3:45 p.m., but he had to return home to help his brothers prepare for the dinner rush, during which his breaks were consumed by finishing any assigned readings or homework.

The other weekdays were better, but not by much. At least he had enough time to properly feed himself. His busyness drew out his longing to travel again, and he did some during the summer and other breaks. He knew what he really needed was something to break the suffocating monotony of his overscheduled days, a breath of fresh air, whether literal or not; otherwise, he wasn't sure he could bear the three more years needed to earn his undergraduate and his S-Class certification.

"How were classes today?" Cress politely inquired as Cilan passed through the restaurant kitchen.

"A bit dry, but okay otherwise," Cilan answered. "If you allow me a few minutes to settle down, I can come help you in here."

"Nah, you should take the day off," Chili said as he entered the kitchen from the breakroom, leaning against the doorway.

"Oh no, I couldn't-"

"-It would be rude to your guest to do otherwise," Cress said. Cilan raised an eyebrow.

"My guest?" Just then, Iris appeared from behind Chili, wearing a wry smile on her face. Cilan perked up in surprise and let out a disbelieving breath.

"Iris!" he exclaimed, delighted, and she laughed as they embraced. When he pulled back, he asked, "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Hoenn."

"I _was_ in Hoenn," Iris replied. "I'm back in Unova now."

"For how long?"

"A while, I'd say." She shrugged.

Cilan smiled as he gestured back toward the breakroom, saying, "Well, come! We have a lot to catch up on, I imagine."

As they left, Chili waggled an eyebrow at Cress, who rolled his eyes in response. Inside the breakroom, Cilan laid his bookbag against a leg of the table and began rubbing his shoulder as he sat down. The weight of Tuesdays was not just exhausting; it was painful. Iris slid into the seat across from him.

"So Chili told me you're really stressed out by all your classes," she began casually, leaning her head on her hand.

"I wouldn't say _really_," Cilan replied. "I think I manage as well as any other student."

"Uh-huh, and how many classes are you taking again?"

"Counting both the PCA and Striaton University?"

"... Yeah."

"Seven, so 21 credit hours total. I'm a full-time student at Striaton University, and a part-time one in the S-Class program. I'm on track to graduate after four years in both institutions."

"Geez! That's way too much. Twenty-one hours _plus_ work, _plus_ being a gym leader? You're going to kill yourself," Iris half-chastised. "Why are you even taking both PCA classes and university classes at the same time?"

Cilan frowned but answered, "S-Class Connoisseurs are generally expected to have a degree from another institution of higher education. I'll need my undergrad if I want Gerard Poltiere to greenlight my certification in a little more than three years from now. Most A-Classes aren't even accepted into the S-Class program without another degree."

"Well aren't you special?" Iris said dryly. "So you mean to say if you weren't in the S-Class program now you wouldn't be driving yourself into the ground?"

"I'd always intended to go to college," Cilan reminded her.

"Chili and Cress are in college, but they're not taking 21 credit hours."

"Their situations are different than mine," Cilan politely dismissed. "Chili's taking classes online through DIL, and Cress decided it would be best for him to be a part-time student at Striaton University during the regular school year and take additional classes during the summer."

"Why not do the same?" Iris craned an eyebrow. "It'd be easier on you, I think."

"I told you, S-Class Connoisseurs need another degree, and I don't want to prolong the process," Cilan said. "The way I see it, after I graduate and receive my S-Class rank, I'll be able to do what I love, which is work with young trainers and their Pokémon."

"You're in too much of a hurry to grow up."

"Says the girl who constantly accuses people of being children."

"Not you," Iris scoffed. "I always call you a pain, which you are." She waved a dismissive hand. "To each their own, I guess. Drayden wants me to get my GED through DIL at least. I don't think I could make it through any of the college programs, not that I'm interested anyway."

At the mention of Drayden, Cilan folded his hands and laid them on the table.

"Is that why you're back in Unova then? Has Drayden... ?"

Iris was quiet for a moment. Then, she said, "I don't know if you heard, but Leaf's actually in Sinnoh right now, taking on the Battle Frontier. And Paul was in Kanto, doing the same... I guess things are starting to get pretty serious, so Drayden called me back to train under him and eventually take over the gym."

"It's about building a reputation of strength, I suppose," Cilan mused.

"That's exactly what it's about," Iris said. "I think the plan is for me to be a gym leader for several years, then to go into the Elite Four, then to... yeah. I guess I have it easier than Paul and Leaf, when you think about it. Lance and Cynthia don't have gyms to give them, so they have to make names for themselves the hard way."

"Being a gym leader certainly isn't easy."

"Oh no, I'm not saying it is!" Iris amended. "I'm just glad I don't have to go through the pressure of making sure everyone knows who I am myself. Being a gym leader kind of does that for you. I mean, I've won some Don George Tournaments, but that's not enough, you know? It's kind of complicated. The whole thing is."

"I understand," Cilan said. "It's certainly not something I would ever want to be involved in."

"And yet, you put up with 21 hours worth of classwork a week."

"That's different. My classes may be difficult, but they have set me on a path to a career of decorum, and I'm willing to do what's required of me for that reason." He stopped suddenly, seeing the look Iris was giving him. "I'm sorry. That was terribly rude of me to say."

"No, it's fine," Iris dismissed. "You're not wrong." She paused. "Cilan, you're not going to think any less of me if I end up doing this, are you?"

"Of course not," Cilan insisted. "You'll always be dear to me as a friend, as will all the others. I admire you, in fact. It's not an easy task you have ahead of you. It's that I, myself, could never find it in me to be a participant."

"Because it's not a career of 'decorum'?" Iris challenged him.

"The Champion title is one of honor," Cilan backtracked.

"Not to you." She stopped herself before she could grow too upset. She brushed her fingers through her hair and looked away. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. I'm just giving you a hard time."

_**May 29th, 2009. Late Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"So what's up with this guy?" Paul asked in a low voice, shutting the door behind him as he and Leaf stepped out into the hallway. "He knows about Silver?"

"That's news to me," Leaf said. "Even so, I don't know what to make of him."

"What do you mean?"

"He's kind of-" Leaf stopped, spinning a finger near her head. Paul glowered at her, unappreciative of the sign.

"You do realize he probably has a TBI, right?" he asked.

"I do, but I'm not blowing smoke," Leaf persisted, dropping her hand to her side again. "Not only does this guy say his real name is 'Natural,' he also proclaims he was raised by _Pokémon_. What's really odd is that he say he didn't mean to run out in front of the car, but that he 'just didn't realize there was a road there'—as if he's _actually_ a Deerling or a Stantler."

"So what's your point?" Paul asked.

"I don't know if I want to bring Ash into this," Leaf replied. "Not before we're supposed to face off, and not if this guy is just... ugh."

"Are you seriously worried about your impartiality thing?" Paul groused.

"You _know_ why I'm being strict."

"You're ridiculous."

"Oh, I know it's ridiculous," Leaf said with a short, frustrated laugh. "The league is a joke, and so is the culture surrounding it."

"Look, if you really want to stick to the league's statutes, then just talk through Misty, or even Gary," Paul said, "because I'd still like to know what this N has to say about Team Plasma. ... And I think Ash would be interested in meeting someone who knows Silver, too."

* * *

><p>"<em>Thank you for joining us, Mr. Hayden,<em>" the PNN anchor said conclusively, his face taking up the entirety of Drew's laptop screen. On the television, the camerashot of him and the webcam feed of Drew were juxtaposed as the two parties spoke.

"No, thank you, Brian," Drew said.

The feed cut, the segment ended, and Drew closed his laptop and pulled out his earbuds, meeting the sounds of his own staff's cheering. They had remained dead silent for the interview, watching it on the television while Drew sat a short distance away, and now that it was over, they didn't need to be quiet anymore. He was rushed by several staff members and friends.

"That was great, Drew," Kenny complimented.

"Really well done," Zoey agreed. "You were collected, and you sold us well."

"Thank you," Drew said. "It's just another show, right?" He turned to Kelly. "Keep an eye on our donation pool to see if the interview draws us more benefactors."

"Sure thing," Kelly replied, nodding. The staff began to disperse again to return to their jobs, but May lingered with Drew until they were alone. Drew smirked, giving her a knowing look.

"You were wonderful," she said, cupping his cheek and kissing him.

"Am I never not?" he teased.

"You know, some humility wouldn't hurt you," May grumbled as she pulled away. Her eyes then lit up with realization. "Oh! By the way, during the interview, you got a call from Solidad." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out his phone, hanging it back to him. "She said it was important you call her back."

Drew furrowed his eyebrows, accepting the device.

"All right," he said, "I'm just going to step out into the hallways for a few minutes then."

"Okay!" May said cheerfully before leaving to attend to other business. Drew headed for the door, dialing Solidad's number as he did.

"_Drew?_" It didn't take her long to pick up.

"Hey, May said you called," he greeted, opening the door and the shutting it behind him, the glass panels shaking as he did so.

"_Yeah..._" she replied. "_There's something I need to talk to you about._"

"Well obviously, what other reason do people call each other for?"

"_Your father is dying._" She got straight to the point, quickly forcing the words out.

Drew felt an odd chill run through his body, and at first, he wasn't sure if he heard right. He replayed the words in his head and, discovering no substitution, found himself struck dumb for a moment.

"W-What?" he finally managed to stammer out.

"_I received a call from someone who knows your father,_" Solidad explained. "_He said the cancer came back, and that he's currently in hospice._"

"That's... That's impossible." Drew shook his head. "It was only earlier this month I read an article that he had done some fundraiser at the Battle Tower for cancer research. It said he'd been in remission since 2007. How could he go downhill that fast? To be on his deathbed?"

"_I don't know,_" she said. "_I'm just the messenger._"

Drew sighed, raising a hand to rub his temple.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

"_He wants to see you, apparently,_" Solidad answered. "_Your father, I mean._"

Drew hesitated.

"I... don't know about that," he said. He paused before asking, "What should I do?"

"_I can't answer that._"

"Solidad."

"_I can't._"

"You're my adviser Solidad," Drew said, exasperated, "advise me."

He heard her sigh, and she was quiet for a moment as she thought. Finally, she said, "_Well, you have to weigh your options. If you think going back to La Rousse and seeing your father will draw out toxic feelings and trigger your insomnia, then it's probably best you stay in Unova. If you don't go see him, though, you will have to make peace with the fact you'll never see him again._"

"Great choices," Drew said dryly.

"_It's a bad situation. There is no good outcome,_" Solidad said.

"I know."

"_I can give you the number of the man who called me,_" Solidad offered.

"No, I..." Drew cleared his throat. "I don't want to get roped into anything. I'll ask for it if I decide I need it."

"_Okay. I'm sorry,_" she apologized.

"Don't apologize," Drew said. He glanced back through the windowed door into the office. He could tell the staff was excited about something. "I have work to do. I'll talk to you later."

"_Certainly._"

Drew hung up and pushed his way back into the office, where he was immediately greeted a jubilant May.

"Guess what?" she asked cheerfully.

"What?"

"No, you have to _guess_."

Drew glowered at her, but said, "In the past five minutes, we raised the millions of dollars we need to build six contest halls."

"No." May shook here head. "But close! We actually just hit $25,000. ... Okay, so it's actually a drop in the bucket, but still, that's a quarter of $100,000 in under a day! And just imagine what'll happen when DJ Mary talks about it."

"That's... awesome." Drew smiled crookedly. May's expression changed, realizing something was awry.

"Are you okay? You seem kind of upset," she said, her voice full of concern. "What did Solidad say?"

Drew breathed out, pressing a hand to his face.

"I just found out my father's dying."

_**May 29th, 2009. Early Evening. Pallet Town.**_

"So Ash told me you're a Pokémon Doctor," Clemont casually struck up a conversation as he added another touch of salt to the pasta noodles he was boiling. Brock was a short distance away, cutting some strawberries for the salad he was preparing.

"That's right," Brock said, nodding. "Well, actually, I'm just certified to be a Pokémon Doctor. I graduated at the end of April, and I'm still combing through the job market. Right now, I'm helping my family at the gym they run in Pewter City and volunteering at the Pokémon Center there."

"No shame in that." Clemont moved back to the pan of sauce simmering over the stove, stirring it. "I didn't know your family had a gym. I have my own gym back in Lumiose City."

"What do you specialize in?" Brock asked.

"Electric-types," Clemont answered. "I'm an electrical engineer, actually. I invent things on the side."

"Really?" Brock raised an eyebrow. He took the strawberry slices he cut and added them to the salad, tossing them up. "What have you invented?"

"Er... well, nothing marketable," Clemont sheepishly admitted. "Most of the stuff I make ends up breaking down or blowing up."

"I wouldn't have taken you for the mad scientist type," Brock chuckled. He inclined his head toward the boiling pot. "Looks like your pasta's ready."

"Hm?" Clemont glanced down and reached for the pasta spoon, dipping it into the water. The noodles, now limber, ran off the teeth. "I guess you're right!"

He reached into one of the lower cabinets and pulled out a colander. After turning off the stove, he moved the pot toward the sink and emptied into the colander, so the noodles could drain. Brock drizzled some dressing on the salad while Clemont dumped the pasta on a large serving platter and poured the sauce on top.

"Okay everyone, we've got dinner ready!" Brock announced as both he and Clemont left the kitchen with the dishes in hand. They laid them on the makeshift dining table their group had put together; Ash wasn't used to hosting so many people in his small home at once, and they had to make due.

"Awesome! Thank you, guys!" Ash jumped off the catch and found a seat at the table. His mouth watered upon seeing the entrée, and he inhaled its scent. "Man, looks so good. ... It'd be something else if you two got together with Cilan to cook something up."

"Who's Cilan, again?" Serena asked, sitting beside him. Misty took his other side.

"He's the husband of the Unova Champion," Ritchie explained. "Remember, she was in the hospital yesterday with everyone thinking she was poisoned?"

"The one who's pregnant?" Serena asked.

"That's her." Ritchie nodded.

"Man, I'm so stoked about that," Ash said, shoveling some pasta onto his plate before passing it along to the next person. "I've known those two for years, and for them to be having a baby is really weird, but also really cool. If only I could call and tell them-"

"-Ah, no," Gary quickly cut him off. "I went over this with you, Ash. You're not allowed to say anything about Iris being pregnant until they officially announce she is. I wasn't supposed to tell you guys anything, but I knew you were worried, which is why I did."

"Why is Leaf so bent on us not knowing, anyway?" Misty asked.

"It's not meant to be a slight against you guys; she just wants to be extra safe with the worries about Iris being poisoned leaking yesterday," Gary answered.

"Well, as soon as it is announced, I'm gonna call and tell them how excited I am for them," Ash said, spinning a glob of pasta on his spoon to eat.

"You mean babble for an hour, like how you did when they got engaged?" Misty teased.

"I was happy for them!" Ash defended.

"As you should be!" Bonnie said. "Weddings are happy! It's a good thing when people get married. That's why I've been trying to get Clemont married for years!"

Clemont turned bright red and sunk into his seat, moaning. Serena cast him an amused, though sympathetic look.

"The real treat will be when you and Misty get married," Gary said wryly, pointing his fork across the table at Ash. "For you, I mean. It'll be a pain for the rest of us, because then you'll never shut up."

Ash flushed pink, while Misty glared at the researcher, saying, "Ha ha, very funny, Gary."

She perked up when her cell phone suddenly rang, and she reached into her back pocket to turn it off—until she noticed who was calling.

"I'm really sorry," Misty apologized, standing. "I have to take this."

Bonnie watched her leave for another room and then looked at Ash, who had already shaken off his spell of embarrassment and was happily sharing some of his pasta with Pikachu. She nudged Gary in the side to get his attention.

"I can't tell yet: Are she and Ash dating?" she asked in a low voice, leaning toward him. Gary shrugged in response.

"Who knows?" he half-laughed.

* * *

><p>"Mmm... I don't know," Misty said tepidly as she stood alone in the kitchen, leaning back against the counter. Leaf had spilled a lot of information to her, more than even Gary probably knew at that point, and it was a lot to take in: the car accident, the strange man from Team Plasma, and his apparent connection to Ash's family.<p>

"_You don't know if he'll do it?_" Leaf asked.

"No, I don't know if _I_ want him to do it," Misty clarified. "He spent years struggling to accept that Silver wasn't coming back. I don't want this to pull out the stitches."

"_That's not your call to make. Push comes to shove, you're not his girlfriend, and even if you were, you still couldn't make his decisions for him._"

"I don't like you using people as pawns, no matter who they are," Misty retorted. "This isn't just because I love Ash and don't want him to get hurt. You brought me into the Elite Four for a reason."

"_I'm not using Ash,_" Leaf scoffed. "_Paul and I thought it might be a mutually beneficial thing, with this guy knowing Silver. We thought Ash might want to talk to him, too._"

"Absolutely," Misty agreed with an exasperated laugh. "Absolutely Ash will want to talk to him. That doesn't mean it's a good idea."

"_Then my point still stands: That's not your call to make._"

Misty's lips tightened, and she drummed her fingers against the counter. Leaf waited out Misty's silence patiently.

"There is a problem," Misty finally said, unhappily resigning to the fact that Leaf, in this case, was right.

"_That is?_"

"Ash's Kalosian friends are here," Misty explained. "He's not going to jump on a plane to Unova and leave them behind."

"_Fine, then they can come with him,_" Leaf said. "_We'll cover their expenses._"

"You're willing to do that?"

"_Misty, the G-Men is connected to the largest, most financially successful business in Napaj,_" Leaf answered. "_I think we can spare a few extra plane tickets and pay for some hotel rooms._"

"Fine. I'll tell him."

"_Thank you. Call me when he tells you he's coming._"

Misty hung up and let out a frustrated huff. She meandered back into the conjoined dining and living room, where the rest of the group was happily enjoying their dinner. She cleared her throat.

"Ash?" she inquired, getting his attention. He stopped eating, a noodle hanging outside his mouth. The others looked toward her, too. She continued, "That was Leaf on the phone. She, Paul, and Iris are asking you for a favor."

Ash chewed and swallowed.

"Sure," he said. "What is it?"

"Yesterday, a member of Team Plasma kind of... fell into the G-Men's lap," Misty said, being intentionally vague about the accident. Leaf had specified she didn't want people to know about that. "They think he might know something about the assassination attempt. The thing is, he's only agreed to talk if he gets the chance to meet you."

"Why?" Ash appeared confused.

"They don't know," Misty answered. "There is a catch, though."

"A catch?"

"Well, maybe catch isn't the right word," Misty admitted. "I guess it depends on how you look at it, whether it's a good or bad thing."

"Misty, what is it?" Ash encouraged, starting to look a little wary.

Misty sucked in her breath.

"He says he knows your brother."

_**May 29th, 2009. Evening. Opelucid City.**_

May clumsily grabbed for a hand towel after splashing her face with water during her nightly rituals. After a short delay, she finally managed to grab one off the rack and dry herself. An alert on her phone sounded and, after hanging up the towel again, she reached for the device. Her eyes scanned the screen before she headed back into her and Drew's bedroom.

Drew was laying on his side of the bed, a book in front of his nose. She couldn't see the title, but whatever it was, he was engrossed; his eyes didn't leave the page when she walked inside.

"Hey," she began gently, "what's on your mind?"

"I'm wondering whether Raskolnikov will get away with the murders," he replied, turning a page.

"I didn't mean your book, I meant-"

"-I know what you meant," Drew said shortly, finally looking at her. "I don't have a good answer for you. I don't know what to think."

"Well, it is a shock," May said, sliding onto their bed. "We had no idea the cancer had come back."

"He must have kept it hidden from the media," he mumbled. "He's good at hiding things."

"If you're this bitter, then you definitely shouldn't go," May said. "You don't owe him anything."

"I know. _Believe me_, I know," Drew said. "But... It's strange, aside from one ten-minute conversation that happened years ago, he and I haven't been in contact for more than a decade. And I've been happy; I've had you and Solidad, and you two are all I could possibly want or need. Hearing he's dying, though, is really unnerving."

"I think anyone would feel that way," May reassured him.

Drew set his book down on his stomach and leaned his head back, sighing.

"I don't want to leave the campaign behind," he groaned.

"So you _are_ thinking about going?" May asked. "Because, don't let the campaign be what's holding you back. I can take care of it, and everyone else will understand. Even Zoey and Kenny and the others who know that you and your aren't close with your dad will understand."

"I don't know whether you want me to do this or not," Drew grumbled.

"I want you to do what will be best for you," May clarified.

Drew's lip twitched.

"To answer your question: No, I don't want to go," he said. "But, there's a part of me that thinks if I don't, I'll end up regretting it, like I would wonder if I would have hated him less while he was doped up on morphine, or wish we had gotten closure."

"I think Solidad brings up a good point when she says you don't want this to bring back your insomnia," May said.

"I look at this way: I would rather deal with another year of insomnia than sixty second-guessing myself when it's too late," Drew responded. "Besides, I really don't think my insomnia will be a problem. I had problems sleeping because I was afraid—of my father, and of Team Rocket. I'm an adult now. I don't have any reason to be afraid of my father, because he has no legal power over me. He can't revoke my trainer's license now, which he could've done when I was 15, because I got it without his permission. And Team Rocket's not a problem anymore."

May carefully looked him over before averting her eyes and, with a small, strange smile, brushed a loose piece of hair behind her ear.

"It sounds like you've really thought this through." She paused and reached for her phone on the nightstand. "There's, um, a flight to La Rousse that leaves at 2 p.m. tomorrow."

"You looked up flights?" Drew raised an eyebrow.

"Drew, I think you actually do want to go, the way you're talking," May said tenderly. "I also saw your face after Solidad first called. You're very upset, but you don't want to admit you are, because you think it's wrong to feel that way. You don't have to justify yourself to me, though."

Drew hesitated and briefly looked away.

"If I go, no matter what happens—whether he dies before then or not—I'll be back by June 18th."

"I'll buy the ticket now," May half-laughed. "You can pack in the morning."

She looked down at her phone and pressed on the flight number to purchase the available ticket. Drew's gaze returned to her.

"May?" he inquired.

"Mhm?" Her eyes met his, and he reached for her arm so he could pull her into a kiss. It was longer than usual, an expression of the depth of his gratitude.

"Thanks for understanding," he said, "even when I don't."

* * *

><p>Dawn let out a short, sharp gasp when she walked into her and Paul's apartment and found his Torterra unexpectedly laying in the middle of the room, taking up nearly half the area's space. Piplup squeaked its own name from having Dawn squeeze him too hard, and she breathed out and laughed at herself. She wasn't sure what she initially thought the creature in her living room was, but Torterra definitely wasn't as scary.<p>

"Hey," she said, approaching Torterra and petting him on top of his head. "You kind of surprised me there."

Torterra sleepily opened his eyes and looked up at her, but he made no noise. He simply enjoyed her attention.

Dawn gave him one last friendly pat on the shell before letting Piplup out of her arms so they could converse. She then headed into the kitchen and found Paul there, making himself a bowl of cereal.

"Haven't eaten yet?" she asked, amused.

"No," he said, opening the carton of milk and pouring it. He didn't look at her when he asked, "How did you get home?"

"Kenny and Barry walked with me."

"Kenny and Barry?" His eyes moved toward her, and he looked strangely suspicious.

She raised her eyebrows, now sharing the same expression.

"Are you... suddenly jealous that I'm friends with other men?" she asked. "Kenny and Barry live a couple blocks further down than us, and they walk with me because I don't want to be dragged by my hair into a dark alley."

"Do you talk to them about us?" Paul ignored her question, presenting her with his own**—**which was when Dawn realized this conversation had nothing to do with jealousy.

"Sometimes, yes," she admitted tepidly.

"And to Zoey and May?"

"Yes."

"And obviously to Drew, too."

"Look, I get it, you're mad," Dawn sighed. "You were embarrassed by the comment Drew made. In fact, I get the sense from some of the things Leaf said this morning that she embarrassed you, too, and probably in front of other people. No one likes being embarrassed, and I'm sorry. It shouldn't have happened."

"Why are you talking to them about us?"

"Do you want my honest answer?" Dawn asked.

"Yes, I do."

"Because _you_ won't talk to me about us," Dawn replied firmly. "I went to Drew for advice. I didn't think he'd say anything and-"

"-You didn't think he'd say anything?" Paul cut her off. "That's the problem. When you say things, others will repeat them, and I don't want my personal life to be a segment on broadcast news."

"Do you think I want other people to know we haven't had sex for months?" Dawn snapped, and soon as the words left her mouth, she wished she could take them back. Paul stared at her, his expression unchanging, and his silence cutting. Dawn clasped her hands together and looked at the ground. When she spoke again, she spoke quietly.

"I don't think you're talking about that, though," she said. "I think you're talking about something else."

Paul's eyes narrowed.

"Paul, I need you to be upfront with me, please," Dawn continued, practically pleading. "I don't like guessing. I don't like guessing because I'm not always right."

"Drop it, Dawn," he warned, knowing what direction she was taking them.

"We need to talk about this," Dawn persisted. "You can't keep pretending something isn't wrong."

"Dawn." His voice went lower, more dangerous than before.

"This is what people in relationships do." Dawn was unwilling to relent. "They-"

"-Then maybe we shouldn't be in a relationship anymore," Paul spat, before she could go any further.

Dawn stopped with a disbelieving breath.

"... You want to break up?" she asked.

Disagreement rose in his throat, but he forced it back down and breathed out an entirely different word.

"Yes."

.

.


	9. VIII: In Which Zoey Picks Up the Pieces

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.

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Chapter VIII: In Which Zoey Picks Up the Pieces

.

.

_**May 30th, 2009. Early Morning. Opelucid City.**_

The dim morning light of the 6 a.m. sun filtered through the floor-length windows of the CIU office, but Zoey still flicked on the light switch when she entered the room. She blinked away the spots in her eyes and ventured toward her desk, dropping off several items, though she kept her gym bag slung over her shoulder. She stopped and cast a strange look toward the lounge area, from where she had heard an odd, high-pitched snore.

Zoey rounded one of the sofas and was surprised to find Dawn asleep on it, her head laying on a plastic bag full of clothes. Piplup was in her arms, and he was the one snoring.

"Dawn?" Zoey inquired in disbelief, gently tapping her shoulder. Dawn, being a light sleeper, immediately woke up.

"Hey, Zoey," she said, sounding a little groggy.

"Did you sleep here?"

"Yeah..." Dawn sat up, rubbing one of her eyes. The motion woke up Piplup, and he made a few indignant noises. "Paul and I, um, had a fight."

"And he kicked you out?" Zoey now looked irked.

"No, no!" Dawn quickly said, waving her hands. "I left by myself. In fact, he doesn't know I'm here. He went to a hotel and left the apartment for me, but I felt guilty staying there, so I came here. He was the one who put down the two month's rent."

"This sounds a lot more serious than just a fight," Zoey said suspiciously.

"Well, actually, we broke up," Dawn finally admitted. She brought Piplup onto her lap, pulling him close to her. Piplup gave his trainer a sympathetic look.

"Broke up? What happened?"

"A lot of things." Dawn brushed her fingers through her messy hair. "What are you doing here so early, anyway?"

"I came to just drop off some things before I went to the gym," Zoey answered. She paused, giving Dawn a once-over. "You haven't showered, have you?"

"No," Dawn replied with a strange, sad kind of laugh. "I just brought something to wear for today. I know I'm going to have to go back and get my things. I didn't really think this through."

"Well..." Zoey paused, thinking. "Why don't you come to the gym with me? It's only two blocks away, and you can use the showers there and get changed. I also have some extra make-up that you can use."

"Zoey, that would be great," Dawn breathed out. "Thank you." She still looked and sounded exhausted. Zoey wondered if she had really ended up getting much sleep.

"And do you know what else?" Zoey continued. "We can go get breakfast afterward. If you want, I can call May and Drew and Kenny and Barry, and we can all talk about this."

"Um..." Dawn hesitated. "Sure, we all can go to breakfast. But I don't know if I want to talk about it."

"Okay." Zoey picked up Dawn's bag of clothes so she wouldn't have to put down Piplup and then helped her up, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

><p>Bonnie peered out the car window and scowled when she saw the dark, stony pyramid-like building to which they were pulling up. She shuddered at the Dragon heads guarding the entrance and, turning an eye toward Ash, asked, "<em>This<em> is where your friends live?"

Ash laughed and said, "It is kinda scary from the outside, huh? This used to be the Opelucid Gym. Iris was a gym leader before she became Champion, and she battles using Dragon-types."

"It used to belong to a man named Drayden, before he passed the gym down to her," Gary added, his hands folded behind his head. "So you can credit the creepy architecture to him. Iris herself has more of a flower child kind of mystique."

"Iris is not a flower child," Misty spoke up, protesting. "Flower children are passive and airy—Iris has a bite as bad as her Dragons. The gym is definitely more Drayden's speed, though."

The driver, Agent Murray, parked the car and turned off the engine. Serena unbuckled her seat belt and, opening the door, slid outside the vehicle. She noticed a man waiting outside the gym, his mauve hair looking unkempt, and his eyes dull with exhaustion. Serena initially wondered if this was Cilan, but she shook away the thought. Ash had said Cilan was a Pokémon Connoisseur, a class that also existed in Kalos. She wasn't sure what the standard for connoisseurs were in Unova, but in Kalos, they always looked sharp. The man before her didn't fit the bill.

"Thank you, Cole," the man told Agent Murray as he approached. Ash's eyes lit up when he exited the car, and he threw an arm around the man's shoulder, which visibly annoyed him.

"Hey, guys!" Ash began, addressing Serena, Bonnie, and Clemont. "I'd like you to meet Paul Rebolledo, the Sinnoh Champion."

"Don't touch me," Paul grumbled.

"He and I were rivals way back in the day, when we both competed in the Sinnoh League," Ash continued, dropping his arm, though he otherwise appeared unfazed.

Clemont smiled and, adjusting his glasses, reached out to shake Paul's hand.

"Hi, I'm-" he began, but he was cut off.

"-I'm not going to remember any of your names in two minutes, so don't bother telling me," Paul said. Clemont appeared more surprised than offended as he withdrew his hand. Serena looked rather put off as she drew her arms around herself.

"_Paul,_" Misty chastised, but he turned away, indicating they should follow him.

"Don't mind him," Ritchie assured the Kalosian trio as they headed inside, after Paul. "He's always been a bit of a... grump."

"Yeah, looks like he's in one of his _moods_," Gary scoffed, rolling his eyes. Ash frowned, but he said nothing.

Paul pushed the elevator button across the field, and the group stepped in together.

"Leaf is working on booking you some hotel rooms," Paul informed them shortly, keep his back toward the group.

"You know, we can just stay in the Pokémon Center," Ash offered. "It's not a big deal."

"You're doing a favor to us. It would be unprofessional if we didn't provide accommodations," Paul dismissed. The elevator doors opened, and they found themselves in the living quarters of the gym. Paul moved forward, and the rest followed. Bonnie rubbed her chin as she went along, taking in her surroundings; there were a lot of plants and flowers everywhere, mismatching the foreboding aura surrounding the outside structure. Maybe Gary's 'flower child' comment wasn't as far off the mark as Misty said.

Paul stopped in the living room, finding Cilan alone, reading Samuel Oak's _The Symbiosis Between Pokémon and Humans_.

"Where's Leaf and Iris?" Paul asked bluntly.

"Leaf is making calls; Iris is tending to her health." Cilan closed his book and set his reading glasses on the table before he rose up, smiling at the group. "It's been too long already. How are all of you?"

"We're doing all right, Cilan," Misty answered. "I think you and Iris have had a more exciting week than we have, and that's saying a lot, considering Ash won all of his Elite Four matches."

Cilan laughed nervously and said, "I wouldn't go that far—but on that note, congratulations to you, Ash, and to Pikachu as well, for your victories. It's a pleasure I get to say this in person."

"Thanks!" Ash grinned, reaching up to pat the Pikachu on the head. The Electric-type hummed in contentment. Ash suddenly added, "Oh! I should introduce you. Cilan, these are my friends from Kalos—Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie." Ash gestured to each person as he spoke.

"Ah,_ je m'appelle Cilan._" Cilan appeared delighted as he approached Serena and shook her hand. "_Je suis très heureux de faire votre connaissance._"

"_Je... Je m'appelle Serena,_" Serena stammered, caught off guard. "I didn't know you spoke our language."

"I've studied to become more fluent over the years," Cilan confessed. "My wife is bilingual in a different language, and I'd like to teach her as she teaches me."

"Please excuse my husband." Iris suddenly appeared in a doorway on the other side of the room. "As you have probably guessed by now, he is a massive dork."

"Ah, so you must be Iris!" Bonnie said, happily bounding up to her. "Wow, your hair's so long and pretty! Ash _did_ say you have a lot of it."

Iris blinked, taken aback by the unexpected compliment. She pulled on a braid hanging off her shoulder and said, "W-Well, thank you! I-"

Before she could finish her sentence, she found herself being tackled with a hug by Ash, not unlike how May had done just the other day. This time, though, she didn't feel herself go spinning into a spell of dizziness.

"I'm so happy for you!" Ash exclaimed.

"For _what_?"

"For the baby, of course!" Ash said when he pulled away.

"Oh... that..."

"A baby?" Leaf inquired, sweeping onto the scene. "Now where in the world would you have heard about that, Ash Ketchum? We haven't released any statements to the media yet. ... Unless _someone_ told you something you weren't supposed to know yet." She looked pointedly at Gary, who grumbled under his breath in response.

"Mind yourself, Leaf. I just told them," Cilan interjected, deciding to save Gary some grief. Gary shot the connoisseur an appreciative look.

"Oh. Well, my apologies to Garebear, then." Leaf pecked him on the lips, and Gary let on a satisfied smile—until Bonnie snickered.

"_Garebear?_" she questioned.

"We know," Misty said with a laugh. "We think it's funny, too."

"Yeah, yeah," Gary mumbled. "Laugh it up. At least my name isn't a plant."

"Gary, I hope you realize you just insulted three people in this room," Iris pointed out.

"Good," Gary retorted.

"Plus yourself, 'cause isn't your last name Oak, as in like the tree?" Ash added.

"If you children are finished, N is at the hospital waiting for us," Paul growled, speaking up again.

"Geez, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Leaf huffed. "Point taken, though. Ash, if you're ready, we can take you to the hospital now."

"Uh... yeah!" Ash cast a quick glance behind him. "What about everyone else?"

"I don't have the rooms locked in yet, so they can either stay here or come sit in a stuffy hospital waiting room," Leaf said. "They'll only allow three people max in the patient's room."

"You've really thought this out, haven't you?" Paul mumbled.

"Arceus, Paul, what's your damage this morning?" Leaf snapped at him. "You know what, _you_ can stay here. I don't want to be anywhere around you if you're going to be this way. Misty can come instead."

"Fine by me," Paul replied, looking away.

"Fine by me, too," Misty said. "I wanted to come anyway."

"Then we're off. Come on, Ash." Leaf turned to leave, but Ash hesitated, looking back at the Kalosian trio.

"Don't worry, Ash," Cilan stepped in, sensing his unease in leaving behind his friends in an unfamiliar place. "Iris and I will keep them good company."

"I _need_ company," Iris added.

"I'll stay, too," Gary reassured. "And so will Ritchie, right?"

"Uh, yeah!" Ritchie nodded. "For a little bit."

Serena clasped her hands together and discreetly cast a glance at Cilan before looking back at Ash and Misty. Her lips twitched into a smile when she realized there was an opportunity at her feet.

"It _is_ okay, Ash," she said. "We'll be... just fine."

* * *

><p>"Are you folks ready to order?" the waitress asked heartily as she swept by their table for the third time. All, with the exception of Dawn, looked up from their menus.<p>

"We're still waiting on a couple people, but thank you," Zoey politely dismissed her, and the waitress nodded before leaving again. Kenny looked back at Dawn, who's head was rested miserably on her hand as she turned a page in her menu, though her eyes didn't read a word.

"Gee, Dawn, I wish there was something I could say..." Kenny sighed.

"Yeah," Barry added, agreeing. "What a jerk. I'll give him a fine!"

"That's not necessary, Barry." Dawn shook her head. "You don't even know what happened."

"What _did_ happen?" Zoey pressed. Dawn had still yet to open up about the break-up and the preceding fight, so there wasn't much Zoey could say when she called up the others and told them they were going out. At least, Kenny had recommended the diner. He and Barry had apparently visited the place several times since the beginning of the CIU's tenure in Opelucid.

Before Dawn could answer, the bell attached to the front door rang as it opened and in came May and Drew. They immediately found their companions and slid into the booth with them.

"Sorry we're late!" May quickly apologized. "Is it true, though? You and Paul broke up?"

Dawn nodded but said nothing else, and May's face fell, the heartbreak evident in her expression.

"_Why?_" Drew asked.

"It's complicated," Dawn tried to write it off, picking up her menu again.

"Dawn, please talk to us," Kenny pleaded. Dawn bit her lip and hesitantly looked up at her friends. They all looked concerned, and Dawn could understand why. The situation seemed worse with her trying to keep what happened hidden, especially since they could tell she was upset, despite her efforts to keep herself together. At least she hadn't cried yet.

"Here's... the thing..." Dawn began tepidly. "You guys know that Paul's a, well, very private person, right?"

"I knew it," Drew interjected with a sigh, brushing his fingers through his hair. "This is about the 'paying attention to your girlfriend' comment I made Thursday, isn't it?"

Dawn winced, and May glared at him, saying, "Let her finish, Drew."

"No, he's—I mean," Dawn stumbled over her own words; she didn't want to say Drew was 'right' and place blame on him. "It's not your fault, Drew."

"Dawn, I'm so sorry," Drew apologized. "I'll cancel my flight this afternoon, and I'll talk to Paul myself. I'll-"

"-Cancel your flight?" Barry blinked.

"So you _are_ going to La Rousse after all?" Kenny asked.

"Yes, but-"

"-What about the campaign?" Barry asked.

"Can we stop interrupting each other for two seconds?" Zoey growled. "We'll talk about Drew leaving later. Right now, we're talking about Dawn."

Kenny and Barry both uttered an abashed "sorry," and Zoey nodded toward Dawn, inviting her to continue speaking. Still, Dawn stayed quiet for a moment longer, considering what she should say.

"I, um..." Dawn laid her hands in her lap, sighing. "Okay, yes. Part of the fight was about me talking to you guys about... issues in Paul's and my relationship."

"The lack of sex," Zoey said more bluntly.

"Not so loud," Dawn coughed, glaring. "It's not exactly that, though. That's a symptom, I think. A big problem, I guess, is that he's worried something will leak, and the public will know about his private life. I know that's something we all think about with what happened to Barry."

A stiff silence followed, and Barry's head sunk into his shoulders. Kenny gave him a couple pats on the back.

"And then, with the whole Iris thing, with it somehow getting out that we thought she might have been poisoned..." Dawn continued, trailing off. "I worry about it, too."

Zoey frowned.

"There's something you said earlier that I want to go back to," she said. "A symptom?"

"Mm?" Dawn intoned.

"A symptom," Zoey repeated with emphasis. "A symptom of what?"

Dawn felt her mouth run dry, seeing all the curious gazes on her. She swallowed, regathering herself.

"When... When Paul became the Champion, that's when things started to go downhill," she said. "It's a stressful job, you know?" Dawn knew it didn't really answer Zoey's question, but she hoped it was enough for them to overlook it.

"He can't blame you for that, though," May said.

"He could, actually," Dawn said with a bitter laugh. "Because I convinced him to do it."

_**July 6th, 2003. Morning. Lake Valor.**_

"Togekiss, Aura Sphere!"

"Dodge Absol, and then use Razor Wind!"

Absol managed to jump out of the way as Togekiss's Aura Sphere blasted the ground, and the Dark-type's horn glowed before it whipped out its attack. Togekiss was hit squarely in the chest, and he fell from the sky to an ugly crash landing.

"Togekiss, are you all right?" Dawn called out in concern, but her Pokémon moaned in response and made no motion to get up.

"Aw man, this doesn't look too good..." Barry frowned, rubbing the back of his head.

"Barry, you're the ref," Zoey reminded him. "Call the match."

"Oh, right! Okay, Togekiss is unable to battle, so the winner is Drew and his Absol!" Barry declared.

Absol shared a smirk as proud as his trainer's, and Dawn sunk to her knees at Togekiss's side, pulling out her Pokéball.

"Thank you, Togekiss. Return," she said before rising up to meet Drew. "That was a great battle. Your Absol is really something else."

"I'll say."

Dawn breath caught at the familiar voice, and she turned to see Paul approaching, his hands in his pockets. Drew, May, and Barry also appeared surprised by his arrival; Kenny and Zoey looked less than thrilled.

"Paul," Dawn laughed out of bewilderment. Her embrace caught him off guard, and he stumbled back, looking unsure of what he should do. He hesitantly raised a hand, perhaps to reciprocate, but she pulled back before he could. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Kanto."

"I... was..." Paul replied. "I came back to Sinnoh for some personal business, and when I heard the Sinnoh Grand Festival was starting soon, I decided to come by." He stepped back, further separating himself from Dawn. He then looked toward the others and asked, "I'm assuming you're all participating, too?"

"May and I, like you, are actually just visiting," Drew clarified. "We're competing in the Johto contest circuit again."

"Except now we actually plan to participate in the Grand Festival this time," May added with a nervous laugh.

"I'm here for moral support!" Barry raised his hand.

"I figured that would be the case for you," Paul said, and Barry scowled.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Barry demanded.

"It means nothing." Paul shook his head. "I suppose I'm here for the same reason."

Barry perked up, grinning, thinking he meant he was also there to support their friends in the festival. Yet, the somber tone of his voice caused Dawn to think differently, and she inclined her head, turning his words over in her mind.

* * *

><p>"So apparently..." Drew began distractedly, his eyes scanning the screen of his phone, "... this is the first year the APC will be providing complimentary condoms in the Grand Festival dorm rooms, as part of an initiative to help lower Napaj's insanely high teen pregnancy rate."<p>

It was later in the evening, and the group had gathered in Dawn's dorm room to spend time together and unwind after a long day of training (or helping train) for the Grand Festival. A pool of snacks sat at the center of the trainers, though Paul hadn't touched a single morsel of food. In fact, he was spatially an outlier among them, and he had failed to participate in most of the conversation. Dawn would cast him concerned glances every so often, wondering why he was so quiet. A year ago, this type of withdrawal was normal for him; now, being closer with the trainers, she would have expected he would _at least_ interject a comment every now and then.

"Where'd you hear that?" Barry asked.

"I'm reading an article about it right now," Drew answered, turning his phone toward the others.

"We have a high teen pregnancy rate?" May blinked.

"One of the highest in the world," Drew replied. "Just another bullet point to add to the laundry list of problems the G-Men will never solve."

Paul's lip twitched, and he turned his head away. Dawn glanced at him again, and Piplup, who was sitting on her lap, looked up at his trainer with an annoyed expression.

"I believe it." Kenny nodded. "My mom was... 17 when she got pregnant? She and my dad got married, though they probably shouldn't have. Come to think of it, didn't your mom have you pretty young, too, Dawn?"

"Uh, yeah!" Dawn snapped her head back toward the group. "She was 19. So was Ash's mom, I think."

"Weird..." May furrowed her eyebrows. "I didn't know this was a thing."

"Not surprising, considering the orange creamsicle of a home life you've had," Zoey laughed.

"Well, now I want an orange creamsicle..." May whined.

"So, were your parents also teenagers when they had you, Zoey?" Drew asked, brushing over his girlfriend's pouting for want of dessert.

"Ha, no," Zoey answered. "My parents are very conservative, very proper people. I came well after they were married."

Dawn looked toward Paul once more, but this time, she addressed him when she spoke: "What about you, Paul?"

Paul's eyes met hers, and everyone else looked his way, too, as if they had only just remembered he was there.

"My family had a lot of problems, but teen pregnancy wasn't one of them," Paul said shortly. A brief silence followed, interrupted only by an alarm going off on Zoey's phone. She reached into her back pocket and plucked the device out.

"It's 10 p.m.," she informed her companions. "I don't know about all of you, but I have training to do in the morning—so I'm going to head back to my room."

"Yeah, same," Kenny said, standing up alongside Barry.

"We should probably head back to the center, too," May admitted.

"All right." Dawn smiled. "Thanks for coming over. I'll see you all in the morning."

After the exchange of several more goodbyes, Dawn's room was soon emptied of her visitors—all with the exception of Paul, who hadn't said anything more. Dawn didn't break the silence as she awkwardly began to gather up the food leftovers and store them away for later. Piplup jumped onto the bed and folded his arms, keeping a wary eye on the remaining trainer.

Finally, Paul rose to his feet, but Dawn jerked her head toward him and said, "You don't have to leave yet, you know."

Paul stared at her strangely.

"I-I mean," Dawn stammered, "just because the others left doesn't mean you have to, if you don't want to."

"I have to set up camp," Paul said plainly.

Dawn frowned.

"You didn't get a room at the center?" she asked.

"It was full."

"Oh... well, then you should definitely stay! You can spend the night here. I don't mind." Dawn quickly amended, "I mean, only if you don't mind, either. The sofa pulls out into a bed." Dawn suddenly laughed at herself, saying, "Sorry. I'm making this a lot more uncomfortable than it should be."

"_Why_ are you so jumpy tonight?" Paul half-grumbled.

"I don't know," Dawn said, falling back onto the edge of her bed, beside Piplup. She smiled crookedly at him, adding, "Because I like you, I guess? We agreed at the wedding that we would give dating a shot, and we did for a little bit. Then you left for Kanto."

"Are you mad at me?" Paul craned an eyebrow.

"No, no," Dawn corrected. "I understand. You and I do different things and go different places, and that's not bad. I'm just..." Dawn shook her head. "I was pleasantly surprised when you showed up today."

Paul said nothing in response. Dawn pushed a loose piece of hair out of her face and carefully asked, "... What business did you come back to Sinnoh for?"'

He pressed his lips together for a moment, hesitating.

"Did you hear about what happened to Bertha?" he finally said.

"Oh, yeah... She died just last week, didn't she?"

Paul nodded, adding, "That's why I came."

"Is she a family friend?" Dawn asked.

"No. Cynthia wanted to talk to me about it."

"_Cynthia?_" Dawn blinked, bewildered. They all knew Cynthia thanks to their mix-up with the G-Men and Team Rocket last year, and she had always been personable, but it was still strange to hear that the Sinnoh Champion had reached out to him. "Why?"

Paul seemed hesitant again.

"There's another reason I came to Lake Valor," he said, "other than just so I could see you and the others compete."

Dawn looked wary.

"That is... ?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Paul mumbled the words, as though he didn't want to admit it. "I wanted to tell you something."

Hearing this surprised Dawn more than hearing Cynthia had spoken with Paul. She couldn't recall a time Paul had _specifically_ wanted to share something with her; probably because it hadn't happened before.

"Well, I'm listening," Dawn gently prodded him.

Paul cleared his throat.

"Do you remember what Silver said?" he began. "Do you remember him saying that Champions are chosen?"

Dawn's eyes widened and she felt her chest tighten as several of the puzzle pieces began to put themselves together in her mind—Paul's behavior, Cynthia speaking to him, even Leaf and Gary's insinuations the night before the interview that aired in March. The sense of understanding overwhelmed her, especially when she felt it should have been so _obvious_. Yet, a dozen other questions and mysteries sprung up in her mind.

"I do," was all she could say, knowing where the conversation was now headed.

"He wasn't wrong," Paul said. "Cynthia had a plan, one that I've know about for about a year now. She wanted Bertha to retire after I turned 18, so I could take her spot. And then, after several more years, Cynthia would retire, and I would become Champion. With Bertha dead, though... Cynthia said I'm too young to be in the Elite Four now, so she has to put someone else in the spot she wanted to be mine. She's going to announce Volkner as a replacement in about a week."

Dawn said nothing for a moment, processing.

"So... where does that leave you?" she carefully asked.

"Cynthia now wants me to come into the Championship the same way she did," Paul explained. "When I'm ready, I'll challenge her to an unofficial battle, and I'll win. She'll step down, and I'll become Champion."

"That's... That's good, then!" Dawn smiled nervously. "That way, you'll still be Champion. That's what you've always wanted." When Dawn saw his expression though, she second-guessed herself, adding, "... Isn't it?"

Paul's lips tightened.

"I _did_ want to be Champion," he admitted. "But I think you and I both know that there's a lot more to being the Champion than we once thought."

"Being the leader of the G-Men," Dawn said quietly.

"I'll get to be the one who has to worry about our rate of teenage pregnancy," Paul bitterly affirmed, "and about kids who didn't have a Reggie."

"Have a Reggie? What do you mean?"

"Mm," Paul intoned. "Right. I haven't told you this story, have I?"

"What story?"

"Mine."

Dawn folded her hands in her lap, watching him carefully. He hadn't. She had heard bits and pieces from rare comments he made about his family—not unlike the one he said tonight—but he had never sat down and explained the relationship between him, Reggie, Brandon, and his late mother, and she didn't push him to. She was willing to listen, though.

Dawn scooted toward the wall, trying to leave an open space for Paul to sit beside her. Piplup, however, gave her a disbelieving look, unwilling to do the same. Dawn's eyes warned him, and Piplup grumbled to himself before he crawled back to sit on Dawn's pillow. Paul quirked an eyebrow at the Water-type and then at Dawn.

"Sorry," Dawn quickly apologized. "Piplup's just protective of me, that's all."

Paul averted his gaze, looking back at the door. Dawn could tell he was having second thoughts about telling her this, but she supposed he felt he has was in too deep at that point.

"My mother killed herself when I was 8," he began, though he didn't sit. "Brandon—my father—sent Reggie and I away after that, for reasons that can be justified, but are too complicated to explain now. But Reggie was 15, and he couldn't legally apply for a job without a parent's permission, not until he was 18. He stopped competing and started his own breeding business, which he'd always wanted to do, but it's not so easy when you're doing it to take care of your little brother. He didn't stop training, though, and he went back to challenge the Battle Frontier after I was 10 and had my trainer's license. When he lost to Brandon, he quit training entirely and stuck with breeding."

Dawn listened attentively, and she took what he said in stride. Still, there was a flash of compassion in her eyes when he mentioned his mother. She knew she was dead; she didn't know it was a suicide. Yet, another thought soon occurred to her.

"How did you get your license?" Dawn asked. "Reggie couldn't have been your legal guardian and signed off on a license when you turned 10. ... He would've still been 17."

"The same way other abandoned 10-year-olds get their license," Paul mumbled, sliding his hands into his pockets. "There are loopholes. As if the league cares whether you have your license legally or not. Money talks. More trainers means more potential for financial gain, no matter what class you fall into. It's all connected to the league." He hesitated before adding, "There is a less cynical way of looking at it, I suppose. A trainer's license gets you free room and board at Pokémon Centers, and Nurse Joy won't let anyone starve. ... It's not a solution, but it's something."

Dawn's eyes fell.

"I think I understand what you're getting at," she said. "You mean to say... you don't know what the solution is?"

"I don't," Paul confirmed.

"But you think you have to, if you're going to be Champion?"

Paul didn't answer the question, but his silence spoke for him.

"Why are you telling me this?" Dawn went on.

"I'm not supposed to. And I wasn't going to," Paul said plainly. "Then I found out Leaf had told Gary, and that Iris had told Cilan."

"Why... why would they know?" Dawn's face twisted with confusion.

"Because Leaf and Iris are lined up to become Champions, too," Paul answered, and Dawn's eyes widened. "Now do you see why I wasn't supposed to say anything? Gary was right. We're still embroiled in a conspiracy."

"Yeah, but..." Dawn trailed off. "... Maybe this one isn't so bad."

Paul gave her an odd look, and Dawn continued, "No, hear me out! I mean, I'm just spouting off what's coming to my mind—I haven't had a lot of time to think this through—but this... actually sounds really smart for Cynthia and the other Champions, to leave their seats to you three."

"What makes you say that?"

"You're worried that you don't know what you're gonna do about, you know, these big problems in Napaj like teen pregnancy and child abandonment, right?" Dawn asked. "Probably, Leaf and Iris don't have the answers either. But you have each other, and you have us. You guys are friends; we're friends. Plus, who better to solve these issues than people who've been affected by them personally? No one would know better than you, as opposed to someone like May, who didn't have to take advantage of a loophole."

Paul stared.

"... Sorry, I'm not being helpful, am I?" Dawn laughed. "I guess I'm not thinking about it from your perspective. It's... a lot. You wanted to be Champion because it's supposed to be an honor, an achievement. Not this."

Paul pressed his lips into a hard line.

"Exactly," he said.

Dawn nodded understandingly and said, "Then tell Cynthia no. Tell her she'll have to find someone else. ... But only if you genuinely don't want to do it, not because you don't think you could. I think you could."

"You think I could?" Paul asked dryly.

"Well, sure."

"Why?"

Dawn thought over her answer for a moment.

"In those four months," she began slowly, "when we were looking for Mewtwo and Moltres... I saw a side to you that I didn't know existed when we first met." Paul eyed her warily, and Dawn chuckled before saying, "You're a _leader_. There are times we wouldn't have pulled through without you."

Paul's expression didn't change, and Dawn sighed. She felt like she couldn't say anything right.

"Anyway..." She changed the subject. "Thanks for talking to me about all this. I wouldn't have expected you to tell me any of this, and I'm glad to know you trust me enough to do so. I get that this is really personal to you."

Paul furrowed his eyebrows.

"_You're_ thanking _me_?" he said.

Dawn drew back slightly.

"Well..." The rest of her sentence was caught in her mouth, however, when Paul unexpectedly leaned down and kiss her. The gesture threw off Dawn—why was he kissing her now?—but before she became lost in the haze of emotions rising in her chest, she realized that maybe she _had_ been saying the right things. After overcoming the initial shock, her hand raised itself to the nape of his neck

"... You think I could do it?" Paul repeated the question when he pulled away, the words falling hot across her cheek.

"I really do," Dawn breathed, nodding. She kissed him again, but this time, Piplup made a noise of disapproval, and the couple hastily drew away from each other. Paul shot Piplup a death glare, and Dawn's bottom lip quivered.

"Piplup..." Dawn said it quietly, as more of a plea than a warning. Piplup huffed, but he climbed onto her nightstand, where his Pokéball sat, and tapped the button with his beat, enlarging it. He let himself inside and left the couple audienceless.

_**May 30th, 2009. Opelucid City. Late Morning.**_

"All right, here's his room," Leaf said as she stopped in front of the door labeled '306' with Ash and Misty and tow. Ash stared at the number with an indiscernible expression, while Misty and Pikachu exchanged concerned glances.

"Just a few things before we head inside," Leaf continued, turning toward her companions. "Rather, some disclaimers. There is a very real possibility this man has a TBI judging by some of the ridiculous things he's told Paul and I. But since we couldn't get Barret Dunstan to talk, this 'N' is currently our best shot for learning anything about Team Plasma. Still, we know we have to take what he says with a grain of salt. I suggest you do the same with whatever he says about Silver."

"Okay," Ash said calmly, nodding.

"Also," Leaf began, reaching in her pocket and pulling out some kind of device, "just a heads up, I'll be recording the conversation."

"That's not sketchy at all," Misty remarked warily.

"You know, I should've just left you at the gym," Leaf grumbled. She promptly turned and pushed the door open.

"Good morning, N," she greeted as she walked inside. His head snapped up at the sound of her voice.

"Hello again, Ms. Greene," N said tacitly.

"I brought you someone." When Leaf stepped aside and revealed Ash standing behind her, N's eyes lit up, like a child seeing a Christmas tree for the first time.

"Oh, good! You brought him!" N sounded as elated as he looked.

"Er... hi." Ash smiled crookedly. He wasn't sure what to make of a stranger being so excited to meet him. That type of behavior had died down years earlier, when the amazement of the fourteen returning alive began to fade from the public's memory.

"I'm so pleased to meet you." N then beamed at Pikachu. "And this must be the Pikachu I've heard about? The one whom never stays in his ball?"

"Uh, yeah!" Ash smiled, petting Pikachu behind the ear. "This is him. Where did you hear about him?"

"From your brother, of course," N answered.

Ash's lips tightened.

"I-I see," he said. Misty bit her tongue and looked away.

In the brief silence, N took the opportunity to extend his unbroken arm out to Pikachu, asking, "May I?"

Ash straightened up in surprise and then looked toward Pikachu, who appeared unsure. Ash nodded toward his partner reassuringly, and Pikachu hesitantly jumped onto N's arm, climbing up to his shoulder. N's smile widened as he lifted his hand to scratch Pikachu beneath the chin, which seemed to put the Electric-type more at ease.

After a few moments, N remarked, "I can tell you and Pikachu have a very special bond."

"You can?" Ash asked.

"Of course," N said, dropping his arm. "I can talk to Pokémon."

Ash blinked, but grinned, saying, "Oh, hey, that's pretty cool!"

Misty and Leaf didn't look as impressed. Misty leaned toward Leaf and asked in a low voice, "Is this what you meant by the TBI?"

"This is _exactly_ what I meant," Leaf answered thickly.

N eventually allowed Pikachu to leave his shoulder and return to his trainer. As soon Pikachu was safely back with Ash, the Pallet trainer asked, "So, N, right?" When N nodded, Ash continued, "Leaf told me you wanted to see me. Is there anything you want me to tell me about?"

"Hmm..." N hummed, thinking. "A difficult question. There is so much I'd like to know. ... Would you mind if you started from the beginning?"

"The beginning? The beginning of what?" Ash asked, confused.

"You journey as Pokemon trainer," N answered. "I want to know... everything!" He let out a strange laugh, and Ash quickly glanced back at Leaf and Misty before looking at N again.

"Well... sure!" Ash pulled one of the chairs near the window up to the bed and sat down.

Leaf discreetly reached into her pocket and turned her recorder on.

* * *

><p>Trip's head snapped up when there was a knock at his apartment door, traces of confusion evident in his expression. He wasn't expecting company that day. In fact, he rarely had company at all. He was the one to visit Iris and Cilan, not the other way around. Nevertheless, he minimized the online news article he was reading and rose up to answer the door.<p>

The identity of his visitor surprised him, to say the least.

"Ritchie?" Trip blinked.

"Hey," Ritchie greeted with a wave and smile.

"What are you doing here?" Trip opened the door further, inviting him inside.

"Leaf didn't say?" Ritchie asked, facing his host.

"I haven't seen Leaf since yesterday morning," Trip answered.

"Oh. Well, long story short, Leaf and Paul have been talking to a Team Plasma member who's in the hospital for some reason, and he wanted to exchange information about Team Plasma for the chance to meet Ash," Ritchie explained. "Ash wasn't going to leave his Kalosian friends behind in Kanto, though, so Leaf paid their way. Misty came to make sure Leaf doesn't use Ash; Gary came because he misses Leaf; I came because it's a chance for the entire group to be together again."

"In the hospital for some reason?" Trip repeated dryly.

"Leaf didn't tell us what happened there."

"Funny thing about that..."

"About what?" Ritchie perked up.

"Never mind." Trip shook his head and sighed. "How long are you here for?"

"I think..." Ritchie pressed a finger to his temple. "... Paul mentioned that the Plasma man cracked his skull and might have a TBI, so the doctor said he wanted to watch him for ten days. I can imagine Leaf will want to get as much as she can out of him, so we'll be sticking around for as long as he's bedbound."

"Ten days?" Trip raised a doubtful eyebrow.

"It's apparently typical for these kind of injuries. Ash was a special case," Ritchie half-laughed. "But I guess, technically, he's already been in the hospital for two days, so we'll be here for eight."

"Where are you staying?" Trip asked.

"Leaf and Paul are still working out a hotel," Ritchie answered.

"You can stay here if you want," Trip offered.

"I wouldn't want to impose." Ritchie paused before asking, "So, what have you been up to? I'm sure trying to manage Iris's image has been a lot of fun."

"It's more frustrating than anything," Trip admitted, falling back into the seat in front of his computer. "I can read all I want, but there's not much I can do with Iris not leaving the gym."

"I'm assuming you mean all the speculation about Iris being poisoned," Ritchie said.

"Surprisingly, that doesn't interest me as much." Trip shrugged. "It's bad, and the rumors have festered, but it's out of my control. Leaf's overseeing the PR associated with Iris's hospital trip, and it's supposed to get cleared up today."

"So what is interesting, then?" Ritchie pulled up a chair.

Trip turned to his computer, pulling up the screen he had minimized earlier.

"Did you hear about the incident with the Minccino?" he asked.

"I... think so," Ritchie said. "Remind me."

"Not long ago, a Minccino attacked its own trainer outside Nimbasa, causing facial disfigurement," Trip explained. "It was a big story when it first happened; it got national coverage and everything. News outlets are still following up on it, but it's not receiving the same amount of attention. Audiences have already been desensitized to the shock factor of a Pokémon brutally attacking its own trainer."

"Wait, so this has happened again?" Ritchie asked.

"Multiple times already. The most recent being today."

"I didn't hear anything about it," Ritchie admitted.

"That doesn't surprise me," Trip mumbled. "The second and third were mostly ignored because Ash's matches took precedence in the news cycle. And now, I can almost guarantee no one will care about the Glaceon that went after its trainer this morning, because they will be more interested that Iris is pregnant."

"That's..."

"Backwards?" Trip finished for him. "News media is a business like everything else. It has to cater to the consumer. And while people may say they like carrots, all they eat is candy."

* * *

><p>"... So in the end, after all the treasures were collected, Melody played Lugia's song, and Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno stopped fighting," Ash recalled with an ease that wasn't present an hour earlier. "The storms stopped, and everything, even Lugia, was okay again!"<p>

N was leaning toward Ash, enthralled with his story. He had listened attentively the entire time, hanging onto every word and stopping Ash only every once in a while to interject a comment or question. Misty and Leaf were now sitting, too, though Leaf appeared bored by the direction of the conversation. Misty didn't seem to mind.

"Amazing," N breathed. "Now, this is the same Moltres whom you saved years later?"

"Yup." Ash nodded.

The four perked up when there was a knock at the door, and a nurse slid inside.

"My apologies for interrupting," she said kindly, "but I'm going to have to ask all visitors here to leave, as I need to run some tests on Mr. Gropius."

"But-" Leaf began, flabbergasted.

"-We understand." Misty cut her off, standing up. "Thank you."

Leaf shot her a glare. Still, N appeared the most disappointed by this development as he sunk back into his pillow. Ash did a double-take between him and Leaf and then cleared his throat.

"You know, uh... I can come back tomorrow," he assured N.

"You can?" N looked hopeful.

"Yeah, it's not a problem," Ash said. "I think I was gonna be here for a little while, anyway."

"Will you continue your story?" N asked.

"Sure." Ash nodded.

"Oh, thank you!" N sounded relieved. "I don't feel so sad anymore. I eagerly await your return; it gets lonely being here in this room. Please be sure to bring back your Pikachu."

"I will," Ash affirmed. "See ya."

"Goodbye," N said as the nurse came to his side, and Ash and his companions ushered themselves out. When Leaf shut the door, she leaned back against it and groaned.

"I'm sorry, Leaf," Ash apologized. "That didn't help you at all, did it?"

"It's okay, Ash," Leaf sighed, straightening. "We have plenty of time. I'm just going to have to be... patient."

"Anything I can do for you?" Ash asked.

"Nope. Go sight-see with your friends, grab some lunch—whatever you'd like," Leaf answered. "Agent Murray will take us back to the gym. I need to get to work on releasing the statement that Iris is pregnant."

"Actually..." Ash began tentatively.

"Actually... ?" Leaf prompted.

"Could we stop by the CIU office, if it's nearby?" Ash asked. "I'd like to see the others, try to make some dinner plans or something, so they can properly be introduced to Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie, you know?"

"Ah..." Leaf hesitated. "Yeah. That's fine."

"Great!" Ash grinned. "Thanks!"

He started toward the elevator, and Leaf frowned, brushing her fingers through her hair. She noticed Misty was watching her.

"You must be happy," Leaf grumbled.

"You seem to be under the impression I want you to fail," Misty said, moving forward, after Ash. When Leaf followed, Misty added, "Which isn't true. Iris is my friend, too. I'd like to get this Plasma business sorted out as much as the next person. I just don't want Ash to get hurt because of it."

"As you might have noticed, Ash _wasn't_ hurt today," Leaf pointed out. "He got to talk about himself for more than an hour, which is probably his second-favorite thing to do. N didn't even say much about Silver, and Ash didn't ask."

"I know," Misty said as they caught up with Ash. "_That_ I'm happy about."

* * *

><p>"So tell us about yourselves," Cilan began kindly as he poured one last cup of tea for himself, having already graciously made sure his guests were accommodated for.<p>

"Um..." Serena clutched her teacup nervously. "Well, what do you want to know?"

"Are you in school? Working?" Cilan specified.

"School," Serena answered shortly. "I just finished my sophomore year at a small college in my hometown."

"Ah," Cilan said before turning an eye to the younger Bonnie. "Are you a college student, too, Bonnie?"

"Nope!" Bonnie smiled, shaking her head. "I'm 17. College is still a year away. I mostly help my brother at the gym."

"That's right," Iris interjected suddenly, looking toward Clemont. "I forgot you were a gym leader."

"Uh, yeah! Electric-types," Clemont replied.

"How does the league treat you down there?" Gary spoke up, too.

"All right, I suppose," Clemont said, taking a sip of his tea. "I've never had any problems with them. We do have to get evaluated every so often, though."

"The same happens here," Cilan said. "Iris and I used to be gym leaders, too, before we got married. Iris never had a problem with her evaluations, but it could get a little scary for my brothers and I. Hence, why she's the Champion, and I'm now teaching."

"You have brothers, too?" Bonnie asked, delighted.

"Two triplet brothers, in fact," Cilan laughed. "They live in Striaton City, and they still run the family restaurant and gym."

Serena lowered her head, no longer listening. Her nails drummed against the delicate porcelain of her teacup, thinking. She had yet to taste of the drink their host had prepared; she was too nervous to do so. A question had been weighing on her for a while, but she didn't know how to bring it up, or even if it was appropriate to bring it up.

"Cilan," she began quietly, carefully, "would you mind if I asked you an unrelated question?"

Cilan turned his head back toward, confusion evident in his features, but he nodded. The others also seemed bemused by the interruption.

"Certainly," he said.

"Can you..." Serena hesitated. "... tell me about Ash's brother?"

Silence followed. Clemont and Bonnie both looked at their friend with wide eyes, surprised she had brought it up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to sound abrupt or rude," Serena continued apologetically, fearing she had gone too far. "It's just... I _never_ knew Ash had a brother."

"Funnily enough, neither did Ash for a long time," Gary mumbled under his breath.

"It's all right, Serena," Iris assured her. "I guess I'm more surprised Ash never mentioned him."

"I tried to ask about it yesterday, but Misty kind of warded us off the topic," Serena confessed. "With them gone, I thought..."

"It's a bit of a sensitive topic on a lot of fronts," Cilan said. "Misty merely cares about Ash's wellbeing."

"I'm going to take a guess and say his brother has _something_ to do with what happened seven years ago?" Serena asked.

"You guessed correctly," Cilan replied. "How much do the three of you know about that?"

"Not much at all, actually," Clemont admitted. "Different countries, you know? Of course, we heard about it when it happened, and we saw that big interview a year after you guys returned. ... When we first met Ash**—**or, really, when we figured out who he was—Ash told us that he didn't want to be treated any differently than any other person. He was upfront with us: He came to Kalos to get away from all that. So he didn't talk about it, and we didn't push it. And it was fine that way, great even, because I can honestly say traveling with Ash was one of the best experiences of my life."

"Pretty sure there's a club for that," Gary said with a wry smile. "But, hang on, you only know as much as that interview told you?"

"Yup!" Bonnie nodded.

"Gee, then you're missing a lot," Gary chuckled.

"A lot?" Serena inquired, looking put off.

"That interview might have been billed as full disclosure, but it definitely wasn't," Gary said.

"That's for another time," Cilan dismissed, which drew some disappointment across Serena's expression. "You want to know about Silver, right?"

"Is that his name?" Serena asked.

"That's what he told us it was," Gary answered. "Whether it actually is or not is an entirely different matter. Ash would probably know more, if he was willing to talk about it."

"Ash and Silver are actually half-siblings," Cilan added. "They share the same father, but different mothers. They didn't know about each other's existence until they were teenagers."

"Is the reason why Ash doesn't like talking about him because they didn't like each other?" Bonnie appeared saddened by the concept.

"No, far from it," Iris said. "Ash _loved_ Silver."

"What's the problem, then?" Clemont asked.

"Well, judging by the fact that Silver _left_," Gary said frankly, "we don't think he ever felt the same way."

* * *

><p>"You're <em>leaving<em>?" Kelly asked, appalled. The CIU staff was gathered together in the office for another mandatory meeting, this time with Drew standing at the front with May by his side. Zoey, Barry, Dawn, and Kenny's faces didn't break at the announcement, having already known about it since that morning.

"Not permanently, and I'll still be working while I'm away," Drew elaborated. "Even so, May will be in charge while I'm gone, and she is more than capable of taking care of things."

"Why are you leaving?" Savannah asked.

"Family emergency," Drew answered vaguely.

"Oh no..." Brianna's face fell.

"Well, I hope everything turns out okay," Conway offered.

"Thank you, Conway," Drew said.

"Same. I'm really sorry," Anthony said. "When does your flight leave?"

"In about two hours," Drew replied. "So I need to leave in a few minutes."

"Well then, get going!" Grace exclaimed. "Don't worry about us. You gotta take care of family matters. We all know that, and we'll keep at it here until you get back." A few noises of agreement followed, and May offered Drew a consoling smile, to which Drew appeared relieved. May was right; the staff _did_ understand.

"Thank you," he repeated. "Still, you all have my cell phone number. Call me anytime something arises."

Ursula scoffed.

"Hope your plane doesn't crash," she said flippantly, already rising to return to her work. The rest soon followed her lead, though a few staffers passed by Drew to offer their sympathies and well-wishes.

"Have a nice flight, okay?" Dawn briefly embraced Drew when she rose to meet him.

"Are you sure you're going to be all right, Dawn?" Drew asked, his voice full of concern.

"I'll be fine, I promise," she assured him. "No need to worry."

"Take care, man," Kenny said, giving Drew a pat on the back.

"Yeah, we're all hopin' it goes well for you," Barry added.

"Thank you again," Drew said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Zoey contended. "You take care of yourself, and we'll do the same. We'll have everything for the Q&A pulled together by June 18th."

"Noted, Zoey." Drew's lips twitched into a smile.

May grabbed onto Drew's hand, giving it a light squeeze. She then turned to the others as she said, "Well, I need to take Drew to the airport. I'll see you all soon, okay?"

After offering their final goodbyes, May and Drew gathered there things and left the office. Dawn let out a sigh and fell into a seat, rubbing her temple. Kenny frowned, watching her.

"Dawn, maybe you should just take the rest of the day off," he suggested, but she shook her head.

"No, I don't want that," she said. "I'll just dwell if I do. I need to stay occupied."

"What's on your queue of things to do?" Zoey asked, leaning against the desk near where Dawn sat.

"I need to... I don't even know," Dawn sighed. "I guess I need to working on booking the hotels and flights for our panelists..." She turned toward a computer, booting it up. "And speaking of hotels, I guess I ought to find one for myself. Sleeping here last night wasn't all that comfortable."

"No," Zoey interjected firmly. "You are not getting a hotel."

"I'm not taking the apartment, Zoey." Dawn stood her ground.

"Fine, then you'll move in with me."

Dawn stared. Then, she broke into a small laugh.

"Zoey, I super appreciate it, but I don't need charity," she said.

"It's not charity," Zoey persisted. "You'll split the rent with me. In fact, you'd actually be doing a favor to me if you moved in. It would lighten the bills."

Dawn hesitated.

"... Are you sure?" she asked.

"I'm positive," Zoey answered. "Hey, it might even be fun. We'll watch horror movies and pretend the idiot who dies in the first twenty minutes is Paul. We can invite May over and watch her pretend she's not scared, and then go out for ice cream afterward."

Dawn couldn't help but smile crookedly, and Barry and Kenny exchanged satisfied glances. Zoey had done it again. Dawn stood up to hug her, and Zoey warmly accepted her into her arms.

"Thank you, Zoey," Dawn breathed into her friend's shoulder. "It means a lot."

"Don't worry about it." Zoey smiled, too, as she pulled away. "It'll be okay in the end, right?"

The sentimental moment was soon cut short by Barry yelling "Yoooo!" out in the office. Dawn winced, and Zoey looked annoyed—until they realized what prompted his reaction. Ash and Misty were in the office, and Leaf was lingering nearby. Ash grinned when he caught sight of the group, and he just short of broke into a run—he had developed enough sense to know running indoors, especially in an office full of expensive technological equipment, was impolite and not a good idea—to meet them.

"Hey!" Ash exclaimed as he and Barry practically tackled each other. Dawn laughed aloud, and Kenny inwardly smiled at the fact that there was no trace of bitterness or sadness in the sound.

"What are you guys doing here?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, you know—" Ash turned toward her, though he kept an arm slung around Barry's shoulder. "—just helping Leaf with some G-Men stuff."

"Leaf's letting you help her with stuff before you have a match?" Zoey raised her eyebrows.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Misty chuckled.

"Let's not get into that," Leaf grumbled. She changed the subject. "Where are May and Drew?"

"You actually just missed them," Kenny said. "They left several minutes ago. May's dropping him off at the airport."

Leaf furrowed her eyebrows.

"Where's he going?" she asked.

"La Rousse," Zoey answered. "He found out yesterday that Chris is dying."

"_What?_" Ash's eyes widened, and similar shock found its way into both Misty and Leaf's expressions as well. Ash continued, "Wait, you mean Chris as in his father?"

"Mhm," Zoey hummed affirmatively.

"I thought Drew and his father were estranged," Misty said.

"They are, but still, I don't think it's easy for anyone to have a parent die," Zoey said. "I'm sure Drew feels really conflicted over it."

"So, uh, what's the reason for the visit today?" Kenny asked, trying to lighten the conversation again.

"I wanted to ask you guys something," Ash answered. "You see, the rest of the gang is here, too—Gary and Ritchie are back at the Opelucid Gym with Iris and Cilan, and my friends from Kalos are also there!"

"Really?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah!" Ash nodded excitedly.

"Remind me their names," Zoey said.

"Serena, Clemont, Bonnie." Ash listed them off on his fingers. "I thought it'd be cool if we could arrange some kind of dinner or something, so we could all get together again and you could meet them, though I guess Drew wouldn't be able to come..."

"I'm down," Kenny said. "Er, though it might get kinda weird if Paul's there."

"Tonight might not be the best night," Zoey agreed. Dawn felt her breath catch, especially upon seeing her Kantonese friends' confused expressions. Leaf's face soon changed, though, to show signs of wariness.

"Why would it be weird if Paul was there?" she asked.

"Paul didn't tell you?" Kenny blinked.

"Guys, it's not a big deal..." Dawn said quietly. She didn't want this to be brought up now, but she wasn't heard.

"Paul didn't tell me what?" Leaf pressed, her voice running lower.

"Well, he, um... broke up with Dawn last night," Kenny finally answered.

Leaf stared. Then, she clenched her jaw.

"_Oh._"

* * *

><p>"I got you your hotel," Paul announced gruffly as he returned to the living room, forcing the conversation to be put on hold. Serena blinked and looked up at him, unsure of how to respond.<p>

"Oh, thank you!" Bonnie said cheerfully, saving Serena from needing to speak.

"Where is it?" Iris asked.

"Not far from here," Paul answered, sitting beside her on the sofa. "It's the same place I stayed last night."

"Why would you have stayed in a hotel yesterday?" Gary quirked an eyebrow.

Before Paul had a chance to answer, everyone in the room winced when they heard the door in the next room fly open.

"_Paul Julian Rebolledo_," they heard Leaf angrily call out.

"Not my middle name," Paul droned, just loud enough for his voice to carry.

"You have a middle name?" Iris asked.

"I don't," Paul said flatly, just as Leaf came storming into view. She fiercely grabbed the fabric of his sleeve.

"You and I need to talk," she hissed, pulling on his arm. Paul begrudgingly rose up and followed her.

They left, the door slamming again. A thick silence followed; no one knew what to say, or even what to think. The Kalosian trio appeared especially bewildered. Iris's mouth hung open slightly, but she soon snapped her jaw tightly shut.

"Please excuse me for a couple minutes," she said tersely as she rose up and calmly followed after her fellow Champions. Cilan let out a long breath and looked back toward his guests.

"Can I get anyone more tea?" he asked.

* * *

><p>"What's this about?" Paul demanded when Leaf shut them inside Iris's office.<p>

She spun around to face him, angry as she asked, "You broke up with Dawn?"

"Yes, I did," he admitted, his words pointed. "Last night."

"Why?"

"Why is it your business?" Paul retorted.

"Because..." Leaf let out a short, exasperated laugh. "You literally could not have picked a worse time to do this! I already have to take care of Iris's pregnancy and Georgia's car accident, and now I have to worry about this?"

"I'm sorry this is so _inconvenient_ for you," Paul said with a heavily irritated sarcasm.

"No, you don't understand." Leaf turned and snatched one of several Ganlon berries in a fruit bowl on Iris's coffee table "This is Iris being pregnant," she said, holding the first fruit out to him. She grabbed a second berry. "This is Georgia getting into a car accident." Finally, a third. "And this is you breaking up with Dawn. These are all media relations pieces I have to handle at once. I'm terrible at juggling, and if I were to actually go through with this visual metaphor, you would see me drop all these berries on the floor, but I'd prefer Iris not go back to the hospital because she didn't get enough of her Iron."

The office door opened and Iris walked inside, looking ticked herself.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"This doesn't concern you, Iris," Leaf dismissed, which clearly struck a nerve with the Unova Champion.

"My office, my gym, my region—this _is_ my concern," Iris pressed.

"I broke up with Dawn last night," Paul grumbled, deciding it was better to be upfront than make Iris more upset by locking her out of the conversation.

"What?" Iris's expression changed to one of confusion and perhaps a twinge of sadness. "When were you going to tell us this?"

"I wasn't aware I had to get permission from my co-workers on how to manage my personal relationships," Paul groused.

"We're more than your co-workers, Paul, we're friends," Iris reminded.

"Then tell our friend Leaf to stop treating me like I'm her job," Paul snapped. Leaf glared and opened her mouth to retort, but he pressed on. "No, I'm not finished yet. My personal life is not yours to regulate for the sake of the G-Men and the league's reputation. Are you going to lay out a schedule detailing how many children Iris and Cilan can have and when, too?"

Leaf pursed her lips, but said nothing.

"As for you, Iris," Paul continued, turning toward the Unova Champion, "if you want to be concerned as a friend, fine. But here's my response: I don't want to talk about it. Leave it at that."

"You're right," Leaf finally said.

"_What?_" Paul snapped his head back toward her.

"I said you're right," Leaf repeated, "and I'm sorry."

Paul was at a loss of what to say. He hadn't expected Leaf would apologize, and it had largely suspended the animosity between the three Champions. Leaf brushed her bangs out of her face and looked away.

"Ash wants to have dinner with us, his Kalosian friends, and the CIU," she said, subdued. "The CIU can't do it tonight, but they do want it to happen."

"I'm fine with that," Iris said. "In fact, we could have them here for dinner next weekend, maybe. Cilan wanted his brothers to come visit again soon, and I think it'd be nice if we had everyone together. I also happen to like Ash's friends from Kalos, and I don't think we've done a great job making a good impression. I'd like to fix that."

"There is a problem." Leaf turned her gaze back toward Paul. "How can we expect you, Paul, and Dawn to be in the same room together now?"

"Not a problem," Paul said gruffly. "I just won't come."

"Paul, don't that way," Iris huffed, but he shook his head and turned toward the door.

"I'm going back to my hotel," he said. "I'll be back tomorrow. Arceus knows why, since Iris still hasn't picked her chief for her G-Men division."

He shut the door behind him, and Leaf glared where he had gone. Iris sighed and drew her arms around herself.

_**May 30th, 2009. Early Evening. La Rousse City.**_

Drew stared up at the iridescent gate before him, and then at the mansion he used to call home looming above the horizon behind it. He snapped his head forward again and pulled his suitcase behind him, moving toward the intercom installed on left white pillar connected to the gate and wall surrounding the estate.

"_Welcome to the residence of Christopher Rogers,_" the voice chimed in when Drew lifted the metallic lid and pressed the intercom button. "_What business do you have here?_"

"I'm here to see my father."

A short silence followed.

"_Welcome back, Young Master._" The gate automatically began to slide open. Drew grimaced as he stepped away from the intercom; he had forgotten his father's staff had once bestowed that title upon him.

The rose garden, which lined the pathway toward the mansion, was as pristine as it had been more than a decade earlier. Drew paused to take in the scene before pulling out one of his Pokéballs. He bent down and let out the Pokémon inside: his Roserade. Roserade was initially confused until she glanced about the area, realizing they were standing in the same garden she and her trainer had met years ago.

Drew smiled crookedly and said, "Welcome home, right?" He then straightened up, telling her, "Enjoy yourself. I'll come back for you later."

He continued on his way, toward the front entrance. Yet, the doors opened before he could make it there, and a tall, thin and very blonde man came outside to greet him.

"Are you Andrew Rogers?" the man called out to him.

"Drew Hayden," Drew corrected.

"Pardon?" The man raised an eyebrow.

"I go by Drew Hayden now," Drew elaborated. "If you're looking for the son of Chris Rogers, though, that's me."

"Ah, well, it's a pleasure to meet you." The man shook Drew's hand when they met. "I'm Elijah. I was the person who first contacted Ms. Natochenny and who spoke with you this morning."

Drew said nothing at first, his eyes scanning Elijah, who tilted his head in response.

"Is something wrong?" Elijah asked.

"... I recognize you," Drew finally said.

"Do you?"

"You're the SAMPLe representative who met with Iris just a few days ago," Drew recalled. "My staff and I were scheduled to meet with her right after you. You walked out not long after we arrived."

"Ah, yes. I do indeed work for SAMPLe," Elijah confirmed. "I learned what happened with Ms. Ajagara after I left. I heard on the news earlier today that she is in fact pregnant, though."

"She is." Drew pulled his hand back. "How do you know my father?"

"He and I are friends," Elijah answered. "Small world, I suppose."

"Yeah... small world..." Drew looked and sounded wary, but Elijah didn't appear perturbed. He stepped aside and gestured toward the door.

"Anyway, there are some people to whom I should introduce you," he said. Drew nodded toward him and moved forward, sliding through the open door into the mansion. Drew stopped in the middle of the tiled floor, his mind beginning to unconsciously map the steps he and his father had taken through this same room, from the the place he had once met the leader of Team Rocket and up the stairs into his bedroom, his father dragging him by the arm.

Elijah closed the door behind them.

"Please follow me," Elijah told him. Drew did so, and Elijah took him into one of the living areas, where two young women sat chatting on sofas parallel to each other.

"Ana, Olivia," Elijah said, getting their attention. "This is Christopher's son, Drew..."

"Hayden," Drew finished for him.

"Drew Hayden," Elijah repeated.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Hayden," said one of the women as she stood. She bowed her head toward Drew, her silvery hair falling across her cheek as she did.

"These are your father's Hospice nurses: Ana and Olivia Hollingshead." Elijah gestured to each as he said their names. Olivia was the silver-haired woman; Ana was blonde. "They're sisters, and they work around the clock to make sure your father is as comfortable as possible."

"At least, we're trying our best," Ana said.

"Where is my father right now?" Drew asked.

"Sleeping," Olivia answered. "We have him on a Morphine drip to ease the pain."

"Right..." Drew trailed off.

"In the meantime, why don't we get you settled?" Elijah suggested. "I had one of your father's housemaids prepare one of the guest rooms for you as soon as I received your call this morning."

Drew let out a long breath.

"Sure," he said.

_**May 30th, 2009. Evening. Opelucid City.**_

Paul had half-expected Dawn to be at the apartment when he returned to obtain more of the possessions he left behind following their fight the previous evening; he, however, did not expect to find Zoey there instead. It had been eerily quiet when Paul first walked through the door, so he thought he had been in the clear. Yet, when he made it to the bedroom, he found her folding up some of Dawn's shirts and placing them in a suitcase.

"Welcome home, sweetie," Zoey dryly greeted when he walked through the doorway. She didn't look up when she spoke.

"What are you doing here?" Paul asked, too tired to sound upset.

"What does it look like?" Zoey threw back. "I'm packing Dawn's things to save her the grief of having to come back here. She's moving in with me."

"I intended to leave her the apartment."

"She knows," Zoey said curtly. "She doesn't want to take it. You put down the two month's rent, and she doesn't want the guilt of staying here."

"And I do?"

"The apartment or the guilt?"

"Let's go with both."

Zoey paused, her gaze meeting his.

"So you are guilty?" she asked.

"That's not what I said, but okay," Paul grumbled.

"Let's make this conversation quick," Zoey continued, ignoring his comment. "Are you planning on making amends with Dawn or not? She loves you, but she doesn't know what to do, so if you want to fix things, you will have to start the conversation this time. I don't mind Dawn moving in with me, but it would save everyone a lot of trouble in the long run if you just sucked it up and worked things out now, if that's what you want to do."

Paul's pressed his lips into a hard line.

"I don't know what I want to do," he said. "That's my answer."

Zoey stared at him wordlessly for a long moment. Then, she turned back toward the dresser and pulled out another of Dawn's shirts.

"Well... that's that, I guess," she said.

_**May 30th, 2009. Evening. La Rousse City.**_

Drew didn't know what to do when he finished unpacking. Initially, he had considered calling May, but he scratched out that idea; he had already talked to her an hour earlier while riding the lightrail from the airport to his father's home, just to let her know he'd arrived safely, and he didn't want to bother her so soon again.

He ended up wandering out into the hallway, unsure of where he was going, but supposing he might as well go for a walk. He considered returning to the rose garden, find Roserade, and maybe train to kill some time, but he decided it was too dark out for that. It was hard to go from having something to do every hour of the day working for the CIU to suddenly having... nothing to do.

In time, however, Drew found himself passing by his old bedroom door, and he felt compelled to stop. Curiosity overtook him, and he reached for the door handle, discovering it was unlocked. The door creaked open, and Drew flicked on the flight as he stepped inside.

Drew didn't know what to expect—there were no specifics in mind—but he had at least expected change. Yet, when he stepped inside, he found everything exactly as it was when left it that final evening in July nearly twelve years earlier. His old textbooks were on his desk; his clothes, the ones he didn't take with him, still hung in his closet; the bedsheets hadn't been changed. Yet, not a speck of dust was to be found. Someone had still been maintaining the room, keeping it in the same condition, as if they wanted him to return and resume life as though nothing had happened.

A chill ran through Drew's body, and it was accompanied by the feeling that maybe it was a mistake he came.

"Mr. Hayden?" Elijah knocked on the cracked-open door, peering inside. "I've been looking for you. You're father is awake, and I told him you're here. Would you like to see him?"

Drew frowned.

"Seeing as you told him I'm here, I'm guessing I have no choice," he said.

Drew followed Elijah out, refusing to cast another glance inside his childhood enclave; he had no intention to return. His father's bedroom was further down the hallway, and the door was already open. Elijah stopped and stood aside, indicating Drew should go in before him. Drew sucked in his breath and moved forward.

The first thing Drew saw was not his father. It was the heart monitor, and then the Morphine drip. Olivia and Ana were present, too, blocking Chris from Drew's view as they fussed over their patient.

"Andrew?" Chris must have caught a glimpse of his son, as he gestured for Olivia to move. She did so, and for the first time in seven years, Chris and Drew saw each other again.

"Hi, Dad," Drew said stiffly as he approached his father's bedside. It became unnervingly clear to Drew that Chris's health was indeed failing him, judging by the way he looked. His skin was pale and clammy; his hair was thinning, Drew guessed, from chemotherapy treatments he was too weak to continue receiving.

"I wasn't sure you would come," Chris said.

Drew shook his head.

"I wasn't sure I would either."

.

.


	10. IX: In Which Serena Finds the Plotholes

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Chapter IX: In Which Serena Finds the Plotholes

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_**June 5th, 2009. Late Evening. Opelucid City.**_

"I wish you could've been here," May said wistfully, drawing her legs closer to herself. She sat alone on her and Drew's bed, her cell phone pressed to her ear. "It was fun, tonight. Plus, Cilan and his brothers always deliver on good food."

"_There will be other times the group gets together for dinner,_" Drew dismissed. "_And considering where I'm staying, I've been eating pretty well._"

"I know, but still—" May flopped back against her pillow. "—Ash's friends from Kalos are here, and it would have been cool for you to meet them."

"_Oh? What are they like?_"

"I like them a lot!" May laughed. "Clemont and Bonnie are brother and sister, and they're adorable. Seeing them together kind of made me miss Max, actually... Serena's kind of quiet, but she seems nice."

"_How were Dawn and Paul tonight?_"

"Hm?" May intoned.

"_How did Dawn and Paul get along?_" Drew repeated.

"Oh... Paul didn't actually come," she answered.

"_I guess I should have expected that,_" he conceded. "_How's Dawn?_"

"She seems to be doing better, but I think she's still pretty upset over it."

"_It hasn't even been a week, yet,_" Drew said. "_She just needs more time._"

"Yeah..." May agreed, trailing off. "How are things going in La Rousse?"

"_All right, I guess,_" he replied. "_I'm still not sure what to make of Elijah or the hospice staff._"

"What's wrong with them?"

"_They're just... I don't know,_" Drew sighed. "_I can't put my finger on it. They're probably fine, and I'm just overly suspicious of them because they're associated with my father._"

"You should trust your instincts!" May encouraged. "Aside from those guys, though, what about you and your father?"

"_He mostly sleeps,_" Drew said. "_Morphine makes you sleepy, which I guess is good. He doesn't seem at all aloof when he's awake and talking, but it's clear he's in pain. You can definitely tell he's down to his last several weeks just looking at him._"

"Have you guys talked?"

"_I've kind of avoided it,_" Drew admitted. "_Our conversations thus far have been pretty shallow, but at least I haven't felt any worse talking to him._"

"That's... good?"

"_It's not bad, anyway._" A pause. "_It's getting pretty late, and I know you have work to do tomorrow._"

"Right..." She added, "I miss you."

"_I miss you, too,_" Drew said. "Get some sleep, okay?"

"I will," May promised, her toes curling. "Goodnight!"

* * *

><p>"Finally, we're back!" Bonnie threw herself onto her hotel bed. "I'm beat. Tonight was so much fun, though, and man, Cilan and his brothers sure can cook!"<p>

"It was good," Serena tacitly agreed, setting her purse down on the desk.

"I think Ash was on to something when he said that it would be cool if Cilan, Brock, and Clemont all got together to make something." Bonnie rolled onto her belly and rested her chin on her hands as she lazily grinned at Serena. "Too bad Brock had to stay back in Pewter City..."

"I wonder if he stayed behind because he knew he'd be out of place, too," Serena mused aloud.

"What do you mean?" Bonnie's expression changed to one of confusion.

"Never mind," Serena nervously laughed.

"No, really," Bonnie pressed. "What is it?"

Serena hesitated as she sat on the edge of the bed parallel to Bonnie's.

"I don't know. I just..." She paused, deciding to take another approach. "Do you ever get the sense that we don't fit in? With Ash's other friends?"

"Um... I guess I haven't really thought about it," Bonnie admitted. "I like them, though. They're nice!"

"Oh, they are!" Serena quickly nodded. "But I just don't feel like we click them the way they do with each other."

"I think it's just because they've known each other longer," Bonnie said, shrugging.

"Exactly. They have a history together, one that we're not a part of." Serena sighed, adding, "We don't really know what happened before we met Ash, when he and the others were part of this huge, complex story. It was the adventure of a lifetime, I'm sure, and it's clear they're all super close because of it. We can't replicate that."

"I don't know about that."

"You don't?" Serena raised an eyebrow.

"We just need an adventure of our own, that's all," Bonnie said, grinning again. "If it's any consolation, though... That person, N, is supposed to leave the hospital Sunday... so I guess we'll probably be leaving then, too, to go back to Pallet Town."

Serena smiled crookedly.

"Yeah," she said. "That is something."

* * *

><p>"You sure you don't want to stay tonight?" Iris asked as she and Cilan stood across from his brothers in the front room of the Opelucid gym's living quarters.<p>

"Yeah. We got work tomorrow," Chili said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't worry, though," Cress reassured her. "There'll be no traffic at this hour, so we'll be home half-past midnight."

"Well, drive safe," Cilan said. "And thank you for coming tonight, and for helping with dinner."

"It was our pleasure," Cress replied germanely. "Besides, we enjoy spending time with you and the others."

"For sure." Chili then bent down, so he was level with Iris's lower abdomen. "You make sure you don't give your mom any more trouble, okay? No more fainting, and keep the morning sickness to a minimum."

Iris rolled her eyes and shoved him on the shoulder.

"Stop. You're so weird," she said.

"Hey, hey—" Chili put up his hands defensively as he straightened. "—just wanna get a head start as the favorite uncle, that's all."

"You're a shoo-in for most annoying brother-in-law," Iris grumbled.

"Man, your pregnancy hormones are already working full-time, aren't they?" Chili grinned. "Besides, are you really gonna call _me_ annoying when Cress is the one who irons his socks?"

Cress glared at him while the others laughed, and Iris was smiling again when it died down.

"Thanks again for coming," she said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight. I'm sure we'll see you again soon," Cress replied, recovering.

After the family parted, Cilan and Iris returned to the conjoined kitchen and dining room. There, they found Gary putting away the now-cleaned dishes while Leaf was at the table with her headphones plugged into her laptop.

"Oh, Gary, please don't worry about that," Cilan hastily said. "You're one of our guests."

"Hey, it's the least I can do for letting us stay in the guest room," Gary defended with a shrug.

"Precisely. _Guest_ room," Cilan emphasized.

Leaf let out a frustrated sigh and pulled her earbuds out, which drew the attention of her companions.

"What's the matter?" Iris asked.

"There's _nothing_ here of use to me," Leaf said, frustrated. "I have almost ten hours of Ash talking about his life, but nothing about Team Plasma."

"You could sell it and have someone make a television show about it," Gary suggested. When Leaf glowered at him, Gary's lips quirked into a smile and he said, "What? A show about Ash's life would probably be very popular."

"I thought the agreement was that if N met Ash, then N would talk about Team Plasma," Cilan said.

"That was the agreement." Leaf nodded. "We've been letting N guide the conversation for the past week, trying to make him happy and comfortable so he'll open up about Plasma. But all he's wanted to talk about thus far is Ash for some reason. Now he's two days away from being released, and who knows what will happen after that? I even have to get new batteries for my voice recorder, and I didn't think that would be necessary. I thought I'd have all the information I need by now."

"So what are you going to do?" Iris asked.

Leaf sighed again as she shut her laptop.

"I'm going to have to ask Ash to start pushing N to talk about himself for a change," she said. "There's no way around that."

_**June 6th, 2009. Morning. La Rousse City.**_

"Seven days," Olivia breathed as she passed her hand over the unconscious Chris's forehead; he was running a fever. "Seven days, and nothing has happened. We held up our end of the bargain. We said we would bring him his son, and we did. Yet, he has turned us down every time we ask if he wants to call his lawyer."

Ana sat across from Olivia on the other side of Chris, while Elijah remained standing. Drew had yet to wake up.

"We must exhibit patience, my dear," Elijah said. "I'm sure in time, Mr. Rogers will honor the promises he made."

"We don't have time to give," Ana spoke up. "The sickness is unpredictable, and it's killing him faster than any of us thought."

"Fascinating, isn't it?" A small, sly kind of smile crossed Elijah's expression, complementing the twinkle in his eye.

"This is serious, Eli," Olivia said.

"I know. I'm sorry," Elijah apologized. "You must understand, my intellectual curiosities sometimes overcome my better judgement. I wanted to go this route for my own studies."

"Should've stayed in Unova for that," Ana grumbled.

"I cannot observe its effects with humans up-close in Unova as I can here, Annie," Elijah said.

"Annie?"

The three snapped their head toward the doorway to Chris's room, where Drew was leaning against the frame. His hair was damp, having recently showered.

"Yes?" Ana rose up, bowing her head to him.

"I thought your name was Ana, not Annie," Drew remarked.

"It is," Olivia said quickly. "Annie is a nickname."

"Huh," was all Drew said in response. He strolled further inside, getting a closer look at his father. "How is he?"

"He's feverish, but otherwise, he slept through the night just fine," Ana said.

"Of course he did. Sleeping is all he does."

Olivia exchanged a quick glance with both Ana and Elijah as an idea began to churn in her head. She looked back at up at Drew before asking, "Perhaps you would like us to remove the Morphine drip, just for a little bit, so he can be awake, and you can talk more?"

"While suffering?" Drew shook his head. "No thanks. I'm not interested in talking anyway."

_**June 6th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

Confusion patterned across N's face as he turned another page in an old issue of Coordinators Weekly, which one of his nurses had brought to him earlier in the day to help cure his boredom. Yet, he lifted his head when the door opened, and he beamed when he saw his visitors had returned.

"Oh, good! You're back," N said, setting the magazine aside.

"Hey, N," Ash greeted with a two-finger salute. He took his usual spot at N's bedside, while Leaf and Misty shuffled to the back of the room. Pikachu immediately jumped from Ash's shoulder to N's lap, and N affectionately rubbed the top of his head. A routine had been set.

"So!" N started again. "Can you pick up where you left off yesterday?"

Ash hesitated and exchanged a quick glance with Leaf behind him. She nodded.

"Actually..." Ash began slowly.

"Actually... ?" N tilted his head.

"I was wondering if maybe we could talk about you for a change," Ash said.

"About me? What would you want to know about me?" N blinked.

"Leaf told me you said you were raised by Pokémon. I think that's pretty interesting," Ash offered.

"I suppose so... All right!" N agreed with a smile. "We can talk about me for today, I suppose."

Leaf's lip twitched into a smirk. Ash had done it. She reached into her back pocket to turn her recorder on, but a chilling memory emerged in her mind, and her breath caught. Misty looked at her, alarmed.

"What's the matter?" Misty asked in a low voice.

"My batteries are dead. I forgot to replace them today," Leaf said in a desperate whisper.

"_What?_"

"I forgot that the batteries in my recorder had died yesterday, and I didn't get replacements," Leaf elaborated.

"Is something wrong?" N inclined his head toward the two women, hearing wisps of their hushed conversation.

"No, not at all," Leaf quickly said. "Please excuse us for a few minutes."

She exchanged a pointed look with Ash, and while he didn't understand what the problem was, he understood the message that he needed to wait until they returned. Leaf ushered Misty out with her, and Ash turned stiffly back toward N. As soon as the door closed, however, N merely laughed and shook his head, causing Ash to blink in bewilderment.

"Hey, what's up?" Ash asked.

"Oh, nothing," N said after regathering himself. His smile then diminished, his expression turning more serious as he said, "I know what this is about."

"You do?"

N nodded, continuing in a gentler tone, "You, Leaf, and your friend Misty... You've all been so patient with me." N looked down, beginning to pet Pikachu again. "I haven't forgotten the promise I made to Leaf—that if I met you, I would tell her what she wanted to know about Team Plasma. I don't break my promises, and I won't for this one. I suppose I've been so caught up in wanting to hear about you, though, that I disregarded the ends I needed to meet."

Ash appeared relieved; Leaf would be happy to know N was still willing to talk about Team Plasma. Yet, his own curiosity overcame him.

"N, can I ask you a question?" Ash asked.

"Go ahead," N politely replied.

"Why are you..." Ash paused, wondering what would be the best way to phrase his question. "... so interested in hearing about me?"

N was silent for a long moment. His hands stopped moving, and Pikachu looked up at him, both curious and wary.

"I don't like Pokémon trainers," N finally said, and Ash drew back, surprised. "It bothers me, the concept. People keeping Pokémon trapped inside balls, forcing them to battle, entering into competitions, where if won, all the glory goes to the trainer, and not to the Pokémon who suffered to get them the victory."

Ash immediately wanted to disagree, to explain it wasn't like that at all—but N kept talking.

"I've seen Pokémon suffer at the hands of their trainers. I think Pokémon would be better off without their trainers, in the wild, where they're supposed to be," he continued. "That's why I'm a part of Team Plasma. We want to liberate Pokémon from their trainers, give them the freedom they deserve. Yet..."

"Yet?" Ash gently prodded.

"When I heard about you," N went on, smiling again, "I thought, 'Maybe all trainers aren't so bad.' I heard about your Pikachu, how you never keep it inside its Pokéball, because it doesn't like it there. That baffled me. It was the first I ever heard of a trainer respecting their Pokémon's wishes like that. Moreover, knowing you have other Pokémon who you do keep inside their Pokéballs..." He paused. "Ash, a question. If none of your other Pokémon wanted to stay inside their balls, would you let them roam free like how you do with Pikachu?"

"Uh, yeah!" Ash nodded. "For sure. It might get a little hectic, but I think it'd be fun, too."

"I thought so." N leaned back. "And knowing that makes me wonder: Are Pokéballs as bad as I was always told they were? Are Pokémon as miserable in them as I always thought? It's an intriguing query..."

"I guess I never thought about it before," Ash admitted.

"Most people don't," N said.

"If you can talk to Pokémon, why don't you just ask them how they feel about it?" Ash asked, as though it were obvious.

"I have," N tacitly replied. "And they've said they don't mind, but I can't tell whether I should believe them or not. Ghetsis has told me I can't. Trainers are their masters. They could be hurt if they said something ill against their masters."

Ash shook his head, feeling disagreement rise up in his throat. He pushed it back down, however.

"Who's Ghetsis?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry," N quickly apologized. "Ghetsis is the leader of Team Plasma. He found me living among the Pokémon, and he brought me into the fold, made me its prince. Anyway-"

"-Whoa, wait, what?" Ash cut him off. "Prince? Prince of what?"

"Prince of Team Plasma," N said. "Anyway..." N again tried to move on, as if the detail was unimportant, as if it wasn't at all interesting. Ash stared at him, dumbfounded, but he didn't try to stop him and get him to elaborate even further this time. He had the sense to know it would be better to do that when Leaf was back in the room.

"I was also interested in you when I heard those stories about how you saved Moltres and Mewtwo," N said. "And even now, you tell me more stories—ones that I didn't know before—about you saving other Pokémon, putting your life on the line for them. I didn't know someone like you could exist... a trainer who genuinely seems to love Pokémon."

"There are plenty of trainers who love Pokémon, N," Ash finally spoke out.

"I doubt that." N shook his head.

"I could name you fourteen, right now," Ash said.

"Including your brother?" N raised an eyebrow.

"_Plus_ my brother," Ash insisted. "He, and those other fourteen, they were there with me when we went to save Moltres and Mewtwo. Leaf and Misty are two of them."

N didn't seem convinced as he hummed and looked away.

"That's okay," he said. "I don't need to know."

Ash sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"... N? Can I ask you another question?"

"Certainly," N replied.

"How did you meet my brother?" Ash's hand dropped to his side. "I've... been wanting to ask since we first met, but I wasn't comfortable doing it with Misty and Leaf around."

N's eyes moved back toward Ash.

"I owe my life to your brother," he said simply. "And he owes his to me."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"I've been lucky enough to meet Oscar twice," N said. "The first time, he saved me. The second, I saved him."

Ash gave N a strange look.

"Oscar?"

N frowned.

"Well, that's his name, isn't it?" he said.

_**November 8th, 2002. Evening. Somewhere in Unova.**_

"The rain is becoming more heavy," Concordia remarked, her eyes turned toward the dark sky. "We should go back. Ghetsis will be worried."

She stood with her siblings, N and Anthea, under the thick canopy of a large, sycamore tree. As the weather intensified, however, the tree's large leaves and branches grew weaker as a form of protection. Yet, N still shook his head.

"No," he refused. "That Swanna is relying on us to find her missing Ducklett. I can only imagine she's more worried now. Her son could be in danger with this type of weather."

"I know, but..." Anthea began gently.

"No buts," N cut her off. "We made a promise. And us humans owe so much to Pokémon. Finding that Ducklett cannot even begin to make up for the harm we've caused, but it is something."

Concordia and Anthea stayed silent, and N sighed.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to sound so harsh. It's unfair of me to demand this of you." He looked forward again, into the haze of the storm. "You can stay here, but I'm going."

He hurried forward, and his sisters cried out to him, but their voices drowned with the rain. The bottoms of his pants grew muddier and heavier as he moved, directionless, not having the slightest idea of where the Ducklett might be; it certainly didn't help that the rain was coming down so hard that he could hardly see a few feet in front of him.

N stopped and took a deep breath. He needed to think this through; he needed to listen. He closed his eyes, trying to tune out the sounds of rain, trying to hear the cries of a Pokémon in distress.

Soon, the sound of rushing water—an overflowing riverbed—passed through his mind. And its stream carried the Ducklett after which he sought. N opened his eyes again.

"The river," he said to himself, calmly, before moving forward again. He knew where to go. He had spent most of his life there, living as an orphan among the Pokémon, before Ghetsis took him in, before he was introduced to his new sisters. He remembered the river, playing in it with the Pokémon, drinking from it with them.

He also remembered its dangers in storms like these.

N stopped at the head of steep incline overlooking the river, which had indeed risen with the onset of the rain. His eyes scanned its rapid waters, searching for the poor creature, hoping it hadn't been swallowed by the black waves.

Then, he heard him, and his gurgled cries to stay afloat. N breath caught when he finally saw the tiny Ducklett being ruthlessly washed downstream, its head being forced beneath the water every few seconds.

"Hang on, Ducklett!" N called out to him. He slid down the muddy slope and, without a second thought, dove into the cold water after the drowning Ducklett.

Ironic, for a Water-type, N briefly thought as his head rose to the surface and he gasped in air. The water was murkier than he thought, and his vision was now clouded with muck. Nevertheless, he desperately rose an arm to wipe his face before power swimming toward the Pokémon.

"Don't worry," N assured the Ducklett when he reached him, pulling him close to his chest with a stable arm. "I've got you now."

An unexpected wave suddenly forced his head far beneath the surface, and the back of his head slammed against an underwater rock. Disorientation set in, and he panicked when he realized he didn't know which way was up.

At least, he had the sense to hold onto Ducklett.

Luckily for him, the current pushed him briefly above the surface again, enough to gulp in some air, before he was forced down once more. Although N's thoughts had become scrambled, he understood one simple truth: If he couldn't regain his sense of self and swim to shore, both he and Ducklett would drown.

He broke through the surface again, and he thought he heard his sisters calling his name in the distance, though he could have been imagining it. There was one thing he definitely _didn't_ imagine, though.

"Feraligatr, go!"

This time, when N went under, he felt the amphibious, clawed hands of the Pokémon whose name he'd heard called grasp his waist and pull him up. N could no longer see through the filter of silt in his eyes, but he felt another human hand grab the back of his shirt and pull him onto land.

Then, he felt nothing.

* * *

><p>It was still raining when N regained consciousness.<p>

His head—which was throbbing painfully in back, where he had hit the rock—was resting against a bag, one that certainly didn't belong to him or either of his sisters. Although lethargic from fighting against the dangerous waters earlier, N slowly sat up, trying to reorient himself. He was inside a cave.

"Looks like your awake, finally."

N glanced toward his left, where a young, red-haired teen sat in front of a crackling fire.

"Is Ducklett okay?" N asked. Even now, the Ducklett's safety was the chief of his concerns.

The teen raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. He's fine..." he answered. "He's here with me."

It was then N realized the Ducklett was curled up on the boy's lap, and he let out a deeply relieved sigh, placing his hand over his heart. Then, he smiled.

"Are you the person who saved us?" he asked.

"I guess." The teen shrugged. "You should actually thank my Feraligatr."

"I should," N agreed, beaming. "Where is he?"

"In his Pokeball."

"Oh..." N's face fell, and there was a flicker of disdain in his eyes. If the boy noticed the change in the atmosphere, he didn't care.

"We really ought to get you to a hospital. I think you might have hit your head underwater. It was bleeding earlier," he said. "I couldn't do much with you unconscious, though. We're far away from civilization, and you're too heavy to carry."

"A hospital isn't necessary," N said curtly. "My home isn't far away from here."

"Where's your home?"

"Oh, I can't tell you that," N replied with dismissive wave.

"Okay..." The teen gave him a strange look.

"We just need to find my sisters, that's all," N continued.

"Not in this weather," the boy retorted. "You'll have to wait until it clears up."

"But they'll worry," N contended.

"Tough luck. I'm not risking my life to save yours again." The teen shook his head. "What were you doing out there anyway?"

"I was out there looking for that Ducklett," N admitted. "Its mother is very worried about it. When I saw it struggling in the currents of the river, well... I knew I had to do whatever I could to help it!"

The teen stared at N wordlessly for a while, and N soon became unnerved by his silver-eyed deadpan gaze.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" N asked.

"Nothing." The teen looked away. "You just remind me of someone I know."

N perked up, intrigued.

"Who?" he asked.

"My brother, Ash Ketchum," the teen answered.

N paused for a moment to commit the name to memory.

"And who are you?" N continued.

The teen hesitated, appearing unsure of whether he wanted to answer that question.

"Oscar," he answered finally. "Oscar Soul."

"Hmm," N intoned. "Well, Oscar, since we're staying in this cave until the rain stops... Would you mind telling me why I remind you of this Ash?"

_**June 6th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

Paul heard his cell phone ring in the room next over, his bedroom, the moment he stepped out of the shower—and he decided he didn't care. He shook his hair to rid it of some of the excess and began drying other areas of himself with the towel on the counter, letting the call go to voicemail. Annoyance crossed his face when whoever was trying to get ahold of him called again. No longer dripping, Paul headed back into the bedroom, snatch up the device, and scowled at the caller ID before answering.

"What?"

"_Are you doing anything important right now?_" Leaf asked.

"I'm talking to you."

"_I need you to bring batteries to the hospital, like ASAP._" She was both demanding and desperate.

"What kind?" Paul was too tired to question why.

"_Triple A,_" Leaf answered.

"All right. I'll be there as soon as I can." Paul hung up and tossed the phone onto his sheets before sighing and draping his towel over his head.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Ketchum?" a blonde nurse inquired as she stepped into the room. When Ash looked up at her, she continued, "There's a call from your mother waiting for you."<p>

"From my mom?" Ash's eyes widened, and she nodded. "Um..." Ash looked back at N. "I should take this. I wanna hear more when I get back, though—about how you saved Sil- uh, I mean, Oscar."

"No worries," N replied coolly. "Take your time."

"Thanks," Ash said, relieved. He stood and let Pikachu climb back up his shoulder before quickly exiting the room. As soon as he was gone, the nurse pulled off her cap, revealing her blonde hair was in fact a wig. Rather, she had bobbed red hair, a style which N immediately recognized.

"Aldith!" he exclaimed, smiling. "I didn't know you were a nurse here."

"I'm not," Aldith said tersely, setting her wig and hat down on the chair where Ash previously sat. "I'm getting you out of here."

N appeared both alarmed and confused.

"Out of here? Why?" he asked, his eyes following her as she quickly moved toward the window. She peered outside and nodded to someone who was apparently down below.

"We spent days trying to figure out what happened to you," Aldith said, ignoring his question as she wrenched the window open. She then reached into her bag and pulled out a tightly bound pack of rope. "We were worried the G-Men would get to you, and they did. How much did you tell them?"

"Nothing, really..."

Aldith frowned.

"Ghetsis _won't_ be happy," she said, unfurling the rope to reveal it was actually a ladder. She hooked it into the windowsill and made sure it was secure before throwing it down. She face him again, asking, "Can you climb?"

"The doctor said I'm not supposed to leave for two more days," N said.

"That's the answer to a question I didn't ask. Can you climb?" Aldith repeated.

"I think so..." N trailed off.

"Good." She unclipped the sensor on his finger and ripped out his IV, causing him to yelp in pain. She then grabbed his unbroken arm and said, "Come on."

"I..." N yanked his arm away. "I don't want to go."

"Don't be ridiculous," Aldith scoffed.

"I made a promise," N pressed. "And Ash is expecting I'll be here when he comes back."

Aldith narrowed her gaze.

"N," she began seriously, "are you really more concerned about the promises made to the people who condone the enslavement of Pokémon? Or are you still loyal to us, Team Plasma, who will liberate all Pokémon in Unova and, eventually, the world?"

N's bottom lip quivered. Then, he slid out of bed.

* * *

><p>"Ash better not be talking to N about Team Plasma now," Leaf grumbled, tapping her food. "I need that information to be recorded, for later reference."<p>

Misty, who was standing with Leaf in the hospital lobby, rolled her eyes.

"If you're so worried, then why didn't you just leave me in the room?" Misty asked.

"I was going to send you to get the batteries, but I realized halfway down the elevator that it would be faster for Paul to just come straight here than for you to leave and come back," Leaf explained.

"Then I'll just go back up there, and I'll keep an eye on things," Misty said, peeling away from her. "Ash isn't as incompetent as you seem to think. He knows you want it all recorded. Even if they are talking right now, I'm sure Ash could just ask N to repeat anything he might have said when we're back in the room."

"Uh-huh." Misty's words didn't put Leaf any more at ease. When Misty disappeared, Leaf let out a shaky breath and sank onto one of the teal ottomans provided in the room. She would glance at the hospital entrance periodically, waiting for Paul to appear, but to no avail. Her impatience was growing, and she fingered the cell phone in her back pocket, wondering if she should give him a call and ask where he was.

Before she could reach a decision, however, the automatic doors slid open, and Paul walked inside. Leaf jumped up, hurrying to meet him.

"Thank you," she breathed gratefully. She paused, giving him a once-over. "Nice ponytail."

"You're welcome," Paul grumbled, handing her the batteries. "I didn't have a lot of time to get ready when you called, so I just did whatever and came."

"Hey, I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just different. Some girls are into the ponytail thing." Leaf smiled wryly. "Was Dawn?"

"I'm leaving." Irritated, Paul turned away and headed back toward the door.

"Thanks again!" Leaf called out to him, waving.

* * *

><p>Ash meandered through the hallways of the hospital, unsure of where a video call station was set up. The nurse hadn't clarified where it was, and he had never used one at this location before. He took the stairs rather than the elevator to the first floor, continuing to look around—then, finally, he found what he wanted. A row of empty video phone booths lined the wall, and he quickly claimed occupancy of one. He dialed his mother's number from memory. It didn't take long for her to pick up, her face appearing on the screen.<p>

"_Oh, hello Ash!_" Delia's expression brightened upon seeing her son.

"Hey, mom." Ash smiled, too.

"_I haven't heard from you since you first arrived in Unova, young man,_" Delia suddenly scolded. "_You may be an adult, but don't forget to call me every now and then, okay?_"

"Right, right, sorry," Ash nervously laughed. "I guess I've been caught up in some stuff since getting here."

"_So how is everything?_" Delia asked kindly. "_Are you helping Leaf like you said you would? How's Iris? Is she showing yet? Are she and Cilan excited? What about you and Misty? Are you together now?_"

"Whoa, Mom, not so many questions at once!" Ash waved his hands.

"_Sorry, dear,_" she apologized. "_That's what happens when we don't talk for a while._"

"Okay, well..." Ash paused, thinking. "Yeah, I've been trying to help Leaf as much as I can. I've been talking to this guy, N, trying to see if he knows anything that would help her out with Team Plasma and stuff. He seems pretty nice, a little weird, but overall nice. I don't agree with him on some stuff, but..." He shook his head, moving on. "Iris is fine. I don't know if she's 'showing' yet or not. I guess I haven't really looked. She and Cilan don't talk much about it, but they seemed pretty happy when we were having dinner yesterday. As for Misty and I... uh..."

_"This 'N,'_" Delia spoke up again, before Ash could finish, "_has he told you anything about Silver?_"

Ash blinked.

"How did you know about N knowing Silver?" he asked.

"_Brock told me,_" Delia answered. "_He said Misty was very nervous about it._"

"Yeah, I get the sense that she isn't too thrilled about it," Ash admitted. "Um, N talked a little about Silver—about how they met. I was actually in the middle of a conversation with him about it when a nurse told me you wanted to talk to me."

"_Hm?_" Now it was Delia's turn to look confused. "_Ash, you called me. I never put in a call to you._"

Ash furrowed his eyebrows.

"Wait, so, then why did the nurse say you had... ?" He frowned. "Mom, I'm gonna need to call you back."

He hung up and quickly excited the booth. Leaf happened to be passing by, and she cast him a strange look.

"Ash? What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I was talking to my mom," he quickly explained. "A nurse came by N's room and said my mom had called me, so I went to call her back."

Leaf turned her head suspiciously.

"That's..." She let out an exasperated laugh. "Ash, this isn't a Pokémon Center. Human hospitals don't have the same call network as Pokémon Centers. How would your mom have known you were here?"

Her expression deadpanned as revelation dawned on her, and she and Ash stared at each other wordlessly for a moment.

"Someone lied to you," she said before brushing past him, quickly headed toward the elevators. She pushed the 'up' button, and the doors opened. Misty stepped outside.

"Misty, where's N?" Leaf demanded, her voice wavering.

"Not in his room," Misty answered.

"_What?_"

"N's not in his room," she repeated seriously, "and there's a rope ladder hanging from the window sill."

_**June 6th, 2009. Afternoon. La Rousse City.**_

Neither Ana nor Olivia nor Elijah were around when Drew pushed the door to his father's bedroom open with his backside and walked inside. He was carrying a tray with a couple plates of food—a bowl of soup and a breadroll with butter. One of the duties Drew had taken upon himself over the course of the past week was bringing Chris three square meals a day, all prepared by one of the chefs on staff. His father had lost a lot of weight, and if he didn't eat, the short amount of time he had left to live would grow shorter.

Sometimes, however, Drew questioned how terrible that would really be, considering the low quality of a life his father was currently living.

Drew set the tray on the nightstand beside his father's bed. Chris stirred in his sleep. His head turned toward the stand, and his eyes cracked open.

"That smells good," he mumbled tiredly.

Drew cast him a quick glance.

"You're awake," he said.

"You're here."

"Yeah, I've been here for a week," Drew said dryly.

"I know." Chris smiled. "I still can't believe it."

"Neither can I," Drew murmured under his breath. "I brought you soup."

"Oh, good." Chris attempted to sit up. "I've always-" He stopped short, letting out a noticeably pained groan as he keeled over, his hand clutching the right side of his lower abdomen. Drew looked at him, alarmed.

"Something hurt?" he asked.

"Mmm," Chris hummed, neither a definitive 'yes' or a 'no.' Nevertheless, Drew sat on the edge of the bed and removed his father's hand before lifting up his shirt. What Drew saw caused his breath to catch: the spot of skin which pained his father was an ugly violet color, and it was accompanied by small, though well-defined bumps. Drew gently ran his fingers over them, causing Chris to wince.

"Olivia?" Drew's voice rose when he called her name, and within a minute, the said nurse appeared in the doorway. "Take a look at this," Drew went on, gesturing for her to come closer. She only gave the purple abnormality a throwaway glance before speaking.

"Oh that? That's nothing," she dismissed. "It's a bruise."

"That is _not_ a bruise," Drew contended.

"Your father has terminal skin cancer, Mr. Hayden," Olivia said tersely. "Some skin aberrations are to be expected."

"Are cancerous 'skin aberrations' normally bright _purple_?" Drew asked, irritated as she turned away.

She stopped.

"Like I said, Mr. Hayden," she said, "it's a bruise."

_**June 6th, 2009. Afternoon. Opelucid City.**_

"So he escaped down a ladder from his window?" Cilan inquired after listening intently to the discouraging news Leaf had delivered. "How is that possible? I thought his arm was broken."

"You can still climb with a broken arm," Iris pointed out. "I mean, yeah it's a lot more difficult and dangerous and painful, but it can be done."

"Would you have experience in this?" Paul asked gruffly.

"Yes, actually," Iris replied.

"Somehow, I should have expected that." Paul shook his head.

The three Champions, in addition to Ash, Misty, Cilan, Trip, Ritchie, and Gary, sat in the living room of the Opelucid Gym; Leaf and her group had only recently returned form the hospital after the doctors confirmed N had not formally checked out, and searches for the missing patient proved fruitless. Leaf's head was in her hands, and Ash cast her a guilty look.

"I'm really sorry, Leaf," he sympathized. "I should've known better. I'm feeling pretty dumb right now."

"No, _I'm_ sorry, Ash," Leaf said. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this when it ended up being a colossal waste of time."

"It wasn't," Ash insisted. "I, uh... I actually talked to him a little bit while we were in there! He didn't say much, but he did say a little about Team Plasma... and about..."

"And about what?" Misty pressed.

"Uh, never mind," Ash said, deciding it was better not to answer.

"But he talked to you about Team Plasma?" Leaf immediately perked up.

"Just a little," Ash said, not wanting her hopes to get too high.

"Well, what did he say?" Leaf asked.

"I thought you said you were going to be mad at Ash if he ended up talking to N about Team Plasma while we were gone," Misty remarked wryly.

"All things considered, not anymore," Leaf told her tersely. "What did he say, Ash?"

"Well, he explained why he was a part of Team Plasma," Ash began. "He doesn't like Pokémon Trainers; he think it's wrong that we battle with them and keep them inside Pokéballs. He likes Team Plasma because their goal is to liberate Pokémon."

"Yeah, we already knew Plasma hates the league and traditional Pokémon training," Paul groused.

"He said something else, though," Ash said. "He said that while he was raised by Pokémon, he was taken in by the leader of Team Plasma, Ghetsis."

"Ghetsis?" Leaf inquired.

"How do you spell that?" Gary said with a short laugh.

"There's more: N said Ghetsis made him the prince of Team Plasma," Ash added.

"The... prince of Team Plasma." Leaf's expression and tone showed doubt again.

"Yeah." Ash nodded.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"I dunno," Ash replied with a shrug. "N didn't explain."

"Great," Leaf mumbled, sinking in her seat. "So I didn't just lose some grunt for Team Plasma, I lost its 'prince.'"

"That's probably why they sent someone to retrieve him," Cilan mused.

A brief silence followed, no one knowing what to say next. Finally, Iris cleared her throat.

"... So what now?" she asked.

"I don't know," Leaf sighed. "I guess... I can try to spell 'Ghetsis' and search for him in our system."

"What good will that do? If he's the leader of a group that opposes Pokémon training, then he's probably not registered as a trainer," Trip pointed out.

"I know." Leaf nodded. "I think without N, we're at a dead end." She sighed again before looking up at Ash. "Thank you, though, Ash. I'm sorry again. I'll try to book a flight for you back to Pallet tomorrow."

"Well, what're you going to do?" he asked.

"I... I'm actually staying here for a little while longer," she answered. "I want to be at the CIU's Q&A event on the 18th, and since our match is the following Thursday, I'll just fly back on Wednesday. My Pokémon and I also need to do some training, and it might be nice to have Iris and Paul's teams as punching bags."

"You wish," Paul scoffed.

"I would love to battle," Iris said. "I would love to do _anything_."

"In that case, can I stay up until the Q&A thing, too?" Ash asked. When Leaf gave him an odd look, he elaborated, "You don't have to keep paying for hotel rooms for any of us. We can move into the Pokémon Center no problem, since we all have trainer's licenses. The center is really nice anyway."

"Why do you want to stay here?" Ritchie inquired

"It's good for me training-wise, too," Ash explained. "In Pallet Town, there's only so much I can do, battling Ritchie or Gary or Brock over and over again... here, there's a Battle Club I could use. Plus... It's been cool to have the whole gang back together. May even said Drew's supposed to be back by the 18th."

Leaf stared at him for a moment. Then, her hand dropped from her temple to her side again.

"Sure," she finally agreed. "I don't have a problem with you staying here." She paused before asking, "Are your Kalosian friends okay with it, though?"

* * *

><p>"Hey, I think I've found something," Clemont spoke up from one of the bench outside the store's dressing room, and Serena poked her head over the door of her stall.<p>

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's video from the press conference that took place after the 'bus crash,' when they first said the fourteen were dead," Clemont said, standing and walking toward her. He tapped the screen on his phone and turned it toward her.

"_It has been a tense Holiday season this year_," a teal-haired male began speaking at the podium._ "A time that is supposed to be happy, to be filled with the love of family and friends, has been plagued with terror and uncertainty for many regarding the perceived violent attacks against gym leaders of the Napajian Pokémon League and community. We stand before you today to assure the people of the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova regions that all four divisions of the Pokémon Government Men Force have and are continuing to work tirelessly to ensure the safety of Pokémon and trainers alike._"

"_We intend to be transparent: The G-Men's investigations have led us to believe that the Pokémon crime organization, Team Rocket, is the behind the recent inter-regional string of attacks. We pinpointed who Team Rocket was targeting and brought them under our protection. However, we also must grievously admit that we failed to protect those in need due to an unforeseeable tragic accident, and by extension, have failed the very people we govern_."

"_Late last night, fourteen young trainers boarded a bus with an undisclosed destination that, we hoped and believed, would protect them from Team Rocket's forces. That bus ran over the edge of a 20-meter cliff and crashed at the bottom. The engine combusted, the bus caught fire, and left no survivors. The reason for this crash is still under the G-Men's investigation._"

Clemont hit pause and looked to Serena to gauge her reaction. She pursed her lips.

"We know that nothing in that is true, though," she said. "The bus crash and the deaths of that fourteen were made up. It was something the government here purposefully did to protect Ash and the others from Team Rocket."

"Well, I can't find much else from reliable sources. At least, not anything that references that one big interview with all fourteen kids," Clemont sighed. "I watched a couple clips of other interviews done with individuals in the group, but... they don't seem to say anything new, and they usually dodge the topic."

"Reliable sources?" Serena inquired.

"I mean, there are some conspiracy theory websites," he explained. "I don't know. I feel really weird looking into this, especially because it's Ash."

"I know. I'm sorry," Serena apologized. "I'd just like to stop feeling so out of the loop..."

"Here's an idea: Why don't we just _ask_ them what happened?" Bonnie suggested, stepping out of her dressing room in a new blue dress. "I mean, Cilan and Iris were willing to tell us about Silver when we asked! They're really nice people. Except Paul. He acts like there's a stick up his butt half the time."

"Even when we asked about Silver, I felt like they were holding back," Serena said. "And Gary made that comment about us missing a lot. ... I've been thinking about it more and more, and it just feels fishy to me."

"Fishy how?" Clemont asked.

"I don't know. I guess..." Serena pressed a finger to her chin, thinking. "Well, for one, I think Leaf might have actually been with them on that journey."

"Huh?" Bonnie blinked. "What gives you that idea? She wasn't in the interview, and they didn't say anything about her."

"Some of the things Gary has said makes it sound like she was there, though," Serena persisted. "Like, he said they got together right after they—as in, both of them—came back from that journey."

"Well, you don't know that." Bonnie shrugged. "Maybe Leaf and Gary had an astounding realization they were meant to be together while they were apart. You know, romantic stuff."

"Maybe... but she's also 'in' with them," Serena continued. "The Champion from Hoenn doesn't hang around like she does."

"Why does it even matter whether Leaf was there or not?" Bonnie asked. "If she was, why would they hide it?"

"_Exactly_. You don't hide something if there's nothing to hide," Serena pressed. "You know, if Leaf _was_ there, that would mean three of the four Champions in Napaj all came from that group. Iris and Paul alone is just a funny coincidence. Once it bumps up to three, though, it starts to feel kind of suspicious."

"I suppose," Clemont conceded. "I don't know if we should really be sticking our noses into this, though."

Serena frowned.

"I'd normally agree, but..." She shook her head. "Ash is supposed to battle Leaf soon, and I can't help but wonder... What is he getting himself into?"

Back on the bench where Clemont previously sat, Serena purse began vibrating.

"Will you grab my phone for me please, Clemont?" Serena politely asked. He nodded and retrieved the device out of her bag after some digging, handing it to her. She furrowed her eyebrows, looking at it.

"Who is it?" Bonnie asked.

"Ash, ironically," Serena answered as she pressed the button to receive the call.

* * *

><p>"Oh no," Anthony groaned, peering inside a cardboard box he had just signed for. He covered his eyes and looked away before glancing inside it again. "Oh no..."<p>

"What's the matter, Anthony?" Kelly asked, approaching her co-worker.

"I think I messed up real bad," he said, reaching into the box and pulling out a fistful of ballpoint pens. "I thought I only ordered a hundred of these for the office. I think they gave us a thousand. Oh man... I must have accidentally typed an extra zero. We're supposed to help raise money, and instead I'm wasting it..."

"Hey, hey, it's okay..." Kelly comforted him, patting him on the back. "Nine hundred extra pens? No problem. We'll sell them at the Q&A thing for $0.50 each. Boom. $450. We actually make money."

"Will people buy these pens?" Anthony asked.

"Sure," Kelly assured him, plucking one out of his hands. "They have the cool logo Brianna designed on them, with the Beautifly and our acronym. Who wouldn't want one?"

"What's the matter?" May asked when she walked by and noticed that Anthony seemed to be in distress.

"Oh May, I'm sorry!" he wailed. May blinked; it wasn't an answer.

"Kelly?" May inquired, looking toward the other girl.

"Anthony thinks he accidentally ordered too many pens," Kelly explained in short.

"How many?"

"Nine hundred too many."

"Hm..." May hummed to herself as she ripped the receipt off the top of the box. Her eyes scanned it for a moment before she let out a laugh. "Anthony! I don't think it was you who made a mistake."

"You... don't?" Anthony sniffled.

"No," May said kindly, shaking her head. "The receipt only charges us for a hundred pens. I think _the company_ might have accidentally sent us extra pens."

"R-Really?" he stammered.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Don't get so down on yourself, Anthony. Even if you had accidentally ordered a thousand pens, it wouldn't be the end of the world."

"I-I guess so." Anthony smiled again. "Thanks May."

"See? You were worried for nothing," Kelly said. "Come on, let's go get something to eat."

"Okay." Anthony's disposition brightened considerably as they headed off together. May let out a relieved sigh. She crumpled up the receipt and tossed it into a nearby trash bin.

"Did they really send us nine-hundred extra pens?" Brianna, who was sitting nearby, asked.

"No," May tacitly replied. "I just knew Anthony would beat himself up over it forever if he thought it was his fault. Like I said, though, it's not the end of the world."

Surprise briefly crossed Brianna's face. Then, she melted into a smile.

"You know, you're really good at this, May," she complimented.

"At what?" May asked.

"I don't know... This being a leader thing, I guess!" Brianna answered. "You keep a really good head about you."

May drew back. She hadn't expected the praise.

"Wow, um, thanks Brianna!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, May?" Kenny called from a couple desks away. His hand was pressed over the receiver of a phone. "There's a call for you on Line 3."

"Oh, okay!" May then turned to Brianna, saying, "Sorry, we can talk more later!"

May headed to the nearest phone, picked it up, and pressed the flashing button.

"Hello?" she inquired. "This is May Maple speaking."

"_Hello,_" a gruff male voice heartily greeted. "_I was actually lookin' to talk to the campaign manager, Drew Hayden, but the young man I talked to said he wasn't in the office and that you're next-in-charge._"

"That's right," May cheerfully confirmed. "Who is this?"

"_This is Don George,_" he answered. "_I manage the Don George Nimbasa Town Stadium, where the Don George Battle Club holds the Don George Club Battle Tournament. My cousin, Don George, told me the CIU is looking to host a contest there in July. I was wondering if you'd like to come by this Thursday to check out the venue and set a date._"

Her breath caught. Her lips twitched into a smile, then widened into a grin.

"Yes..." she said breathlessly. "Yes! I'd love to!"

* * *

><p>Paul dragged himself into the kitchen when he returned to his apartment. Although it was still not long past mid-day, he felt exhausted, and he figured eating something might help. As he opened the refrigerator door to retrieve the milk, however, a thought occurred to him, and he immediately shut the door again. He reached into back pocket and woke up the screen to check the date.<p>

Then, he dialed a number. As is rang, Paul pulled up one of the stools to the counter and sat down.

"_Hello, you've reached the Rebolledo residence,_" Reggie greeted when he picked up.

"Hey," Paul said flatly. "It's me."

"_Paul?_" Reggie inquired. "_I've been meaning to call you since yesterday._"

"Why's that?"

"_I heard that you and Dawn split up,_" Reggie replied. "_Is that true?_"

Paul inwardly groaned.

"It is," he confirmed. "Where did you hear that?"

"_From Maylene._"

"How did Maylene know?"

"_I think she heard it from Solidad?_"

"How did Solid- you know what, never mind," Paul gave up with an exasperated sigh, deciding it wasn't worth investigating. He supposed it was good in a way; it meant he didn't have to break the news to Reggie himself.

"_What happened?_" Reggie asked.

"What do you mean, 'What happened?'"

"_Why did you and Dawn break up?_" Reggie clarified.

"The relationship had run its course. There's nothing more to it," Paul dismissed.

"_Run its course? Paul, you and Dawn have been together since you came back to Sinnoh two years ago, and you were in an off-and-on casual relationship for years before then,_" Reggie said seriously. "_Plus, I thought it was looking pretty serious when you said you were getting an apartment in Opelucid together..._"

"A mistake, obviously," Paul grumbled. "You know, I didn't call to talk to you about my relationships. I called to talk to my niece."

"_To Cedar?_"

"It's her birthday, isn't it?"

"_It is... I didn't think you would remember,_" Reggie admitted.

"I remember important things," Paul said gruffly.

A short pause followed.

"_All right,_" Reggie agreed, sounding happier. "_Let me get her._"

"_Uncle Paul?_" The sweet, young, though still somewhat slurry voice of his niece finally patched through, and Paul's lip twitched into a strange kind of smile, the first he had shown in a while—and no one could see it.

"Hi, Cedar," Paul greeted, his voice just a touch gentler. "I wanted to tell you happy birthday."

"_I'm three,_" she declared.

"I know."

"_I'm big._"

"You are," Paul affirmed. "Is your mother making you a cake?"

"_Yeah!_" Cedar sounded delighted at the prospect.

"Do you know what it looks like?" he asked.

"_It's pink,_" she said shortly.

"Is pink your favorite color?"

"_Yeah._"

"Make sure not to eat too much and get sick," Paul advised.

"_Okay. Bye-bye!_"

Paul let out an exasperated, though also amused breath. Cedar reminded him of himself, in a way. She liked to keep conversations short, and she didn't hesitate to end them when she was done talking.

She did seem happier than him, though.

Reggie soon returned to the phone.

"_I forgot to tell you: Maylene and I have news,_" he said. "_She had her ultrasound just the other day. You're going to have a nephew now, too._"

"She's having a boy?" Paul raised his eyebrows.

"_That's right._"

"I'm sure you're excited."

"_We are. Maylene was pulling for a boy, actually,_" Reggie replied with a laugh. "_I like having a daughter, though, so we'll see how I manage a son._"

"You'll do fine."

"_I hope so._" Reggie paused before adding, "_Anyway, thanks for calling. Cedar loves hearing from you._"

"It's nothing," Paul said. "I'll talk to you later."

Just as Paul was about to end the call, however, his brother spoke again: "_Wait-_"

Paul pressed the phone back to his ear.

"What is it?" he asked.

"_I just want you to know, Paul,_" Reggie began carefully, "_if there's anything on your mind, I'm always here to talk to you._"

Paul stayed silent for a long moment. Then, he sighed and brushed his fingers through his hair.

"I know."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I let the <em>one<em> thing that could have helped us get somewhere with Team Plasma escape," Leaf said with a loud sigh as she splashed water on her face, and the promptly dried herself with a hand towel. "I'm such an idiot."

Gary, who was dressing himself in sleepwear in the bedroom, cast her a deadpan look through the open bathroom door.

"You're still going on about that?" he asked.

"I'm just frustrated," Leaf said as she came back into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the mattress. "I feel like this past week has been for nothing. And it's worse, because of Ash's involvement. He and I have been working too closely."

Gary rolled his eyes as he pulled his shirt over his head.

"Want me to let you in on a secret, Leaf?" he asked, turning to face her. "Your strict adherence to that ridiculous impartiality clause—while, in a way, admirable, I guess—was and is completely pointless. No matter what, if Ash wins, the match will be questioned. You and Misty pretending you weren't Ash's friend for a month wasn't going to erase years of history. People are going to look at your match, and they're going to see two people who grew up in the same town, who were taught by the same professor, who left on their journeys on the same day—and they're going to know it's personal."

Leaf was silent. She folded her arms, briefly breaking their locked gazes.

"Even if that history wasn't there, even if it was unknown, which it isn't," Gary continued, "people can look at you and Ash today and know there's a connection. Misty and I are billed as a couple of Ash's closest friends. We have been since we stopped Giovanni. I'm dating you, and Misty's on your Elite Four. People aren't dumb. They know that."

"I know. I just..." Leaf shook her head. "If Ash wins, I don't want his tenure as Champion to be doomed the way Alder doomed Iris."

"Iris isn't doomed."

"She has a hell of a climb ahead of her."

"That's a different thing than being 'doomed.' Shake off Lance's pessimism, will you?" Gary sighed. "Iris will overcome her issues. Ash will, too, if needed."

"But that's... agh!" Leaf fell back onto the sheets. "It's a distraction. It's holding us back from what we need to do. This whole mess with Team Plasma is just one giant roadblock I need to clear before I can finish what I need to do—what Paul, Iris, and I need to do. If Ash wins and he faces the same type of criticism as Iris, the 'Ooh, but does he really deserve his title?' kind of thing, that'll have to be fixed, too, before anything can get done. Except I won't be here, and I don't know if-" She stopped short, seemingly unwilling to finish her thought.

"You don't know if what?" Gary pressed.

"... I don't know if Ash, Iris, and Paul could do it without me," Leaf finished, turning on her side. "I know that sounds awful and really self-centered, but considering the trainwreck that happened in the Unova Championship office while I wasn't here, it's what I'm worried about."

Gary pursed his lips.

"You _do_ need to cut Iris and Paul some slack," he said, sitting beside her, though she was still turned away from him. "Drayden and Cynthia didn't try to shape them into cookie-cutter perfect Champions like Lance did with you."

"Yeah..."

"If Ash wins," Gary began, "it'll be messy, and there'll be damages to pay, but he'll be the first the win his title the way it should be done in forty years. And that's worth something. Even if he doesn't turn out to be the perfect Champion, the one Lance wanted." He smirked before adding, "Then again, neither are you.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Leaf turned her head and glared at him.

Gary laughed.

"I mean, you lost your key to Team Plasma over _Triple A batteries_."

.

.

.


	11. X: In Which Dawn Breaks Her Silence

.

.

.

Chapter X: In Which Dawn Breaks her Silence

.

.

_**June 11th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"Here are your copies," Burgundy said after walking back into Cilan's office, holding out a stack of papers to him.

"Excellent. Thank you," Cilan replied with a smile, accepted the stack. His eyes scanned the first sheet, making sure everything was in order. He then looked back up at her and asked, "I'm presuming you did something similar to this when you took this class?"

"A personality traits chart?" Burgundy inquired. He nodded and she said, "Yes, but it wasn't coupled with an observation session. It was a multiple-choice matching type of thing."

"Ah. It was the same for me," Cilan said. "The APC only provides Pokémon for five of observation sessions in this class—four for practice, one for the final exam—which is why I asked students to bring their own for today and next Thursday, so we could have more. I don't think four practice sessions adequately prepares students."

"_Oui._ I'd agree," Burgundy mumbled. "I was scared I was going to fail this class when I took it."

"So was I," Cilan admitted.

"You were?" Burgundy blinked.

"Why do you think I would want to add two more practice sessions?" Cilan asked with a wry smile. He paused and flicked over his wrist to check his watch. "It's almost 10:00 a.m. We should get going."

"Right," Burgundy agreed as Cilan stood up. She followed him out of his office and into the hallway, toward their classroom; yet, her breath temporarily stopped when she realized who was coming from the opposite direction.

"Off to class, you two?" Ricard asked with a false cheerfulness, stopping to speak with them. "Or are you teaching today? You're both so young and fresh, it's hard to believe you're on staff."

"Good morning, Mr. Nouveau," Cilan tactily greeted, brushing over the question.

"Good morning, Mr. Griffith," Ricard replied, "and to you, Ms. Myers."

Burgundy nodded in acknowledgement but said nothing.

"Really? No polite salutation in return?" Ricard asked, feigning offense.

"Leave her alone, Ricard," Cilan said calmly, though firmly. "Now if you'll excuse us."

He curved around Ricard, and Burgundy stayed on his heels, keeping her head facing forward, so she didn't have to see the disgruntled look upon Ricard's face.

* * *

><p>"<em>So who's going with you to see the stadium?<em>"

"Just Zoey, I think," May answered, leaning against the car door with her cellphone pressed her ear and her free arm wrapped around herself. She stood in the parking lot outside the building where the CIU office was located.

"_Is Zoey driving?_" Drew asked.

"Yeah! She said she wanted to drive."

"_Good._" Drew sounded relieved. "_I don't want to pay for a damaged rental car._"

"Okay, I've only gotten into _five_ car accidents in my life, and one of them wasn't even my fault," May said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not as terrible a driver as you seem to think, geez."

"_I fear for my life every time you're at the wheel._"

"Don't you have something else to do?" May asked with an exasperated sigh.

"_Yes, actually,_" Drew replied. "_It's almost noon where I'm at, so I need to get lunch to my father._"

"Oh! How's that going?"

_"Eh,_" Drew grunted. "_Same old, same old._"

"Mmm..." May hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I'll be sure to send lots of pictures to you!"

"_Great. I look forward to it,_" Drew said. "_Love you._"

"I love you, too!" May smiled. "I'll talk to you later!"

As May hung up, Zoey came around from the front of the car to meet her.

"So, are you ready to go?" Zoey asked with a grin, spinning the keys around her finger.

"Yup!" May cheerfully answered. She opened the passenger door and slid inside while Zoey returned to the driver's seat. Zoey stuck the keys into the ignition, but she looked up when she heard a knock on her window. Kenny, Barry, and Dawn were outside.

"You guys drive safe, okay?" Kenny poked his head inside the car when Zoey rolled down the window.

"The trip's only an hour and a half. There's no reason to worry," Zoey dismissed with a laugh.

"Still, I think Drew'd hate to attend the funeral of his father and his girlfriend in the same month," Kenny said.

"Thanks for that morbid thought," Zoey remarked dryly. She then inclined her head toward Dawn, asking, "You sure you don't want to come, Dawn?"

"I'm fine," Dawn said with a wave of her hand. "I've got stuff to do here anyway."

"You should at least call Ash and see if he'll come have lunch with you guys," May suggested. "Oh! Maybe his Kalosian friends will come, too!"

"Yeah, I'd love to meet up with Ash and friends again!" Barry exclaimed.

"Do it to it then." Zoey finally turned on the engine and slid on her sunglasses before giving her friends a final salute. "We'll see you guys later."

_**June 11th, 2009. Noon. La Rousse City.**_

Chris was, for once, awake when Drew dutifully came into his room carrying a tray of food, as he had been for nearly two weeks by then. Yet, Drew said nothing and avoided eye contact with his father, who was propped up against some large pillows and had a book in his hands. Yet, Chris's gaze was locked on his son rather than his novel as Drew slid the tray onto the nightstand.

Chris cleared his throat.

"Who are you always talking to?" he asked.

Drew cast him a strange look, not entirely sure what he meant.

"Your hospice nurses, unfortunately," he answered after a moment.

"No, not them," Chris said. "I always hear you out in the hallway, talking to someone. Who is it?"

"... May?"

"Who's May?" Chris asked.

"My girlfriend."

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend," Chris said, setting his book down on his lap.

"If you paid an ounce of attention to anything I did over the past ten years, you probably would," Drew mumbled bitterly. "Even if you didn't read tabloids like Coordinators Weekly."

"Do you have a picture?"

Drew pursed his lips. By then, he had realized his father was only looking for a way to strike up a conversation, hence the unusual icebreaker question. Still, he felt compelled to oblige.

"Uh, yeah... hang on," Drew said, reaching into his back pocket to pull out his cell phone. He scrolled through his phone's camera roll before picking a photo and handing the device to his father. "Here you go."

Chris stared at the screen intently, taking in the small visual details—her smile, her dark blue eyes, her ash brown hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. Finally, he remarked, "She's very pretty," as he held the phone back out to his son.

Drew's lips twitched into a smile

"It's my favorite photo of her, actually," he admitted, shaving off the contempt in his tone as he took the device and set it aside. "It was taken last year, on her 21st birthday."

"How did you meet her?"

"She and I have known each other since we were kids," Drew answered. "She got into coordinating about a year after I did, and we met a couple weeks before a big contest. She and I have been competing against each other ever since then."

"And how long have you been together?"

"A little over seven years."

"Really?" Chris raised an eyebrow. "That's a long time to be with another person for someone your age."

His remark rubbed Drew the wrong way, and he turned his head and said, "May and I know we want to be together, even if we did start dating while we were teenagers."

"I wasn't suggesting that," Chris contended. "Do you plan on marrying her, then?"

The question caught Drew off guard.

"I..." He was unsure of what to say. "Uh, yeah, at some point, I guess."

"Why not now?" Chris inquired.

"... She's still pretty young," Drew said. "She's still only 21."

"Your mother was only 21 when we got married," Chris pointed out.

"Yeah, and that turned out great for everyone involved," Drew said dryly.

"Your mother fell ill and died. That has nothing to do with her marrying me when she was 21." Chris paused, leaning back into his pillows. "I never told you how your mother and I met, did I?"

"No, you didn't talk a lot about Mom," Drew replied, averting his eyes once more.

"Kara was a freshman in La Rousse University when I was a senior." Chris smiled as he reminisced. "I had already been running an unofficial battle club since my sophomore year, before the Battle Tower was conceived, and she came one evening with some friends to enter a weekend tournament. We ended up talking, and things went from there. She was extraordinarily talented, your mother. A great trainer, and she was kind and funny and smart, too."

"Funny how she ended up with you then."

Chris frowned, a twinge of guilt showing his expression.

"... She was the one who encouraged me to invest in building the Battle Tower," Chris continued anyway after a moment. "I had always charged entrance for the tournaments I hosted in college, and they grew to be so popular and well-attended, that I had acquired a small fortune. I took her advice and, well... look at the Battle Tower today. I was destroyed when she died, though." He lifted his eyed toward Drew again. "But at least I had you."

Drew was silent.

"The Battle Tower was so important to your mother and I, so I wanted it to be important to you, too," Chris went on. "I wanted you to take over the Battle Tower someday."

"I didn't," Drew said tersely.

"I know." Chris stayed quiet for a moment longer before adding, "I'm glad you ended up going on your own journey and meeting May."

Drew recoiled back, unsure of what to say in response to that, or even what he should think of it.

"You really ought to marry her," Chris decided. "You may think 21 is too young to get married—but speaking as someone who lost your mother too soon, and as someone who doesn't have much time left himself—life is too short. I've made a lot of mistakes, and I've done things I'm not proud of for the sake of the business—and I've realized now that it doesn't matter. While the Battle Tower is still deeply important to me, it should have never been the most important thing. All it can bring me now are the world's best doctors, and even that won't save me."

"Dad, I don't think Ana and Olivia are all that great of doctors," Drew said dryly. "And as much I appreciate you trying to pass on your fatherly advice, I think you're ten years too late for it to mean much to me."

"All the same..." Chris reached out and grasped his son's hand. "I'm sorry. Despite everything, I hope you realize that I've always loved you."

Drew pulled his hand away. His father, Drew realized, had been waiting for this. He had been waiting for a chance to hook him into a conversation long enough to say this. In fact, Drew wondered if the sole reason why his father had told Elijah to bring his son back to La Rousse was to apologize... even if it could never make up for what happened, or erase the bitter feelings Drew held.

"I..." Drew trailed off. "I'm going out for a little bit. I've been in this mansion for too long."

He rose up and quickly left the room, passing by Olivia as she walked inside for one of her check-ups. Chris let out a long sigh as he watched Drew disappear from sight.

"Olivia?" he inquired when she approached.

"Yes, Mr. Rogers?" Olivia politely replied.

He locked eyes with her as he said, "I'm willing to talk to my lawyer now."

_**June 11th, 2009. Late Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"So how does this work anyway?" Serena asked, staring bewildered at the touch-screen machine.

"Oh! It's pretty easy," Ash said, moving away from his station to help her. "Just slide in your trainer card into the thingy and type in your phone number." Serene followed his instructions, pulling her Trainer ID out of her wallet and sliding it through the reader. Her picture appeared on the screen, along with a touch keyboard for her to type her number. She did so and pressed the flashing 'enter' button that appeared.

Ash grinned and continued, "Then put all the Pokémon you have on hand into the six Pokéball spaces and press 'Scan.'" Serena dug though her bag again, carefully pulling out and placing all of her Pokéballs in the appropriate position before tapping the said button. Each sphere briefly lit up as it was scanned, before digital renderings of all her Pokémon appeared on the screen.

"Now, your entire team is in the computer!" Ash said. "So now you can click 'Search' and look through all the trainers here, and if you press on their picture, it'll send them a message that says you wanna battle! Or, you can click 'random matchup' to be paired with someone in the building."

"This is a pretty nifty system," Clemont said. "It would be cool if they had something like it in Kalos."

"It would be cool if they had in _Kanto_," Gary scoffed.

"Maybe Don George will take a page out of Contesta's book and take the business outside of its region of origin," Misty remarked as the machine scanned her Pokémon. "I'm in."

"Me too!" Bonnie said excitedly. "Now to find a trainer..." She tapped on the 'search' button and typed in a name. Misty's phone rang in her bag, and she fished it out.

"Bonnie? You're challenging me to a battle?" Misty looked up at the young blonde curiously, after seeing the message she had received.

"Yeah! Of course I am!" Bonnie proudly replied.

"Bonnie..." Clemont began gently. "Don't you think you might be a bit, um, outmatched?"

"Oh, who cares?" Bonnie dismissed. "What other times in my life will I get to say I battled an Elite Four member? None, since you're probably not ever going to be one."

Clemont glowered at her, but Misty couldn't help but laugh.

"All right, we can battle," she agreed. "But I'm warning you, I won't go easy on you."

"I wouldn't want it any other way!" Bonnie looked determined.

Ash's phone suddenly rang, too, and he scampered to grab it in his excitement.

"Do you also already have a match, Ash?" Clemont asked.

"Nah, it's a text message from Dawn." Ash shook his head, but he didn't look a a upset at all. "How would you guys feel about having lunch at the CIU today?"

* * *

><p>Leaf was sitting alone in the living room, her eyes drawn toward the television screen—it was Day 1 of Barret Dunstan's trial—when Iris emerged from her room late that morning with a Ganlon berry in her hand. She cast a quick glance at the screen before finding a seat near the Indigo Champion and taking a bite out of her fruit.<p>

"Did I miss anything?" she asked.

"No." Leaf shook her head. "It's just started." She promptly reached for the remote and turned the television off; Iris appeared puzzled by this move.

"You don't _have_ to turn it off because I'm here," Iris insisted.

"No point in watching it anyway," Leaf dismissed. "Where've you been all morning?"

"Bedridden," Iris answered shortly. "I woke up not feeling well."

"Are you taking your supplements?"

"Yes," Iris replied tiredly, drawing out the 's.' "This is just run-of-the-mill morning sickness, nothing more."

"Mm," Leaf intoned, but she said nothing else.

"So where is everyone?" Iris asked after a moment. "I know Cilan's in class, but I kind of expected Ash and company to come around by now."

"They're off at the Battle Club," Leaf explained. "Even Gary. I think Ritchie might have gone to hang out with Trip."

"Well, gee, I wish I could've gone," Iris grumbled.

"I think you would've obliterated the competition," Leaf half-laughed.

"I'm just looking for something to do," Iris said, shrugging. "Were you serious about wanting to battle me to train for your match against Ash? Because I was when I said I would be happy to battle you."

"I was," Leaf tacitly replied. "Do you want to battle?"

"_Yes,_" Iris practically begged. "Please."

Leaf's lips cracked into a smirk.

"All right," she agreed. "A few things first, though."

"What?"

Leaf paused to think of how she should word her response.

"I know you're bored," she finally began. "I would be, too, if I was holed up in my house for a month. And so I was thinking... _wow_, it's been a month since that attempt. Plus two weeks since we announced you were pregnant."

"Your point?" Iris asked.

"I think we need to get you back into the public eye," Leaf answered, "and I know where you should make your first appearance: The CIU's Q&A event next week."

"Wait, you're serious?" Iris perked up.

"Dead serious," Leaf said. "And on that note, we should get the ball rolling on announcing Georgia as your new Elite Four member. Has she faxed in her paperwork to Mr. Goodshow?"

"Yeah... yeah, she has, I think!" Iris was grinning now.

"Good." Leaf smiled, too. "Then you should call Trip and let him know he needs to set up a time with Georgia to take profile shots. I'll call Paul."

"For what?"

"If you're going to show up to the Q&A event in support of Unovan contests, then you ought to have your check into the CIU," Leaf said, standing up. "I'll make him take it to their office today."

"And then we can battle?"

Leaf let out a chuckle.

"And then we can battle," she affirmed.

* * *

><p>Watching students work with Pokémon was one of Cilan's favorite parts of his job. He could try his hardest to engage students in lecture and experience some minor success, but it was nothing compared to what hands-on experience could accomplish. Allowing students to work with Pokémon, he thought, was what brought the theories and discussions they had in class to life, and it was wonderful to see his students' eyes light up when the material they had spent so much time studying finally made sense—the 'aha' moment, as he privately liked to call it (He had once used the term in Iris's presence and she'd laughed and called him cheesy).<p>

Moreover, Cilan could tell his students enjoyed class sessions that involved Pokémon the most—and why wouldn't they? Pokémon made up half the Pokémon Connoisseur title. They wouldn't be in the program if they didn't love Pokémon.

"Professor Griffith, can you help me with this question?" one of his students inquired as Cilan passed by him and his Deino, who was gnawing at an itch on its foot.

"Sure," Cilan answered with a smile. "What's the problem, Phillip?"

"I'm stuck on this question about diet," Phillip replied, tapping his pencil against his paper and clipboard. "My Deino eats food that's good for Dragon-types... I don't know if that really answers the question, though..."

"Ah," Cilan began, understanding the issue. "It's not so much _what_ your Pokémon eats as it is _how_ it eats it."

"Huh? I'm not sure I understand," Phillip admitted. "How's that gonna help everyone else in class when they read this and try to figure out my Pokémon's Nature?"

"To identify a Pokémon's Nature, you need to be able to pick out certain behaviors in a Pokémon that might suggest one Nature over another," Cilan explained. "Dinnertime can often reveal a lot about a Pokémon's personality, which you, the trainer, can see, but your fellow students cannot. This is why it's good for connoisseurs to ask trainers the kind of questions you see on that worksheet. No one knows a Pokémon better than their trainer, and no one knows your Deino better than you."

Cilan paused to pet the Deino, which he seemed to appreciate.

"Think of it as a kind of science," Cilan went on. "The trainer is giving the connoisseur the information, and the connoisseur is interpreting that information. For the purposes of this activity, everyone in class is writing down the behaviors and personality traits they can find within their own Pokémon for their peers to interpret next Thursday. Don't worry, on Tuesday, we'll learn more about which behaviors correlate with which Natures. Eating habits can be a huge indicator."

"Oh! Okay!" Phillip nodded. "Well... I guess Deino eats pretty fast. So fast that sometimes he makes himself sick."

"See? You _do_ know," Cilan encouraged. "Write that down. It'll help your fellow students next week."

"Thanks Professor Griffith! I will!"

As soon as Cilan moved away to check up on the rest of the class, he was approached by another student—Karina.

"Professor Griffith?" she inquired shyly, getting his attention.

"Yes, Karina?"

"I was wondering if you could help me decide something about my Pokémon," she asked, fiddling with her skirt.

"Certainly," Cilan replied. "Where's your station?"

"Over there." Cilan looked where she pointed, and a chill ran down his spine. On top of her table sat a Purrloin, cleaning itself.

"Ah ha..." Cilan let out a nervous laugh. "Ms. Myers?"

Burgundy looked up from another part of the classroom, confused that he had called her name. She quickly finished up helping the student with whom she stood before approaching.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Why don't you help Karina with her Purrloin?" he suggested.

"Me?" Burgundy looked suspicious. "Why me?"

"I think you would be more qualified to help than I would."

"O-_kay_," Burgundy dragged out the word but nevertheless followed Karina back to her station.

"So what seems to be the issue?" Burgundy asked, bending down to look at the Dark-type. Purrloin stared at her half-lidded lazy gaze, flicking its tail back and forth.

"I can't tell whether Purrloin has a Calm or Relaxed Nature," Karina said.

"Karina, we're not identifying Natures until next Thursday," Burgundy reminded.

"I know," Karina conceded. "But I already finished filling out my chart, and so I decided to look ahead in the book to figure out which Nature she might be based on what I wrote down, but I'm stuck. The Calm and Relaxed Natures are so similar, and a lot of her behaviors could fit into both."

"Hm," Burgundy hummed, thinking. "It's true, on the outside, Calm and Relaxed Natures can look pretty similar. So you have to go beyond just personality and start thinking about how they do in battle."

"What do you mean?" Karina asked. "Could you be more specific about the battling part?"

Burgundy mentally stumbled. She paused long enough to wrack her brain, making sure she had her facts straight.

"A Calm Nature... tends to give a Pokémon greater Special Defense but less Attack power," Burgundy began, recalling the information. "A Relaxed Pokémon has greater Defense but a lower Speed. Special Defense and Defense are hard to tell apart, so I would take a look at the Attack and Speed of Purrloin." She inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, glad (and half-impressed) she had managed to remember that without stealing a glance at the textbook.

"Oh..." Karina trailed off. "Well... Purrloin is a little bit on the slow side, so I guess she probably has a Relaxed Nature!"

"There you go."

"Thanks, Ms. Myers," Karina said. "I really appreciate it."

Burgundy smiled and straightened up, pushing one of her curls out of her face.

"It's no problem."

* * *

><p>"Okay, but listen to this one," Trip began, his PokéPad held firmly in his hands. "A trainer was attacked by its own Pokémon outside Icirrus City today. The trainer, 16-year-old Erin Willis, sustained minor injuries when her Darumaka bit her on the wrist. Quote, 'I don't understand what caused this behavior out of Darumaka,' Willis said. 'He's normally a big sweetheart. He's been acting strange since he got roughed up by a wild Houndoom a couple days ago,' end quote."<p>

Ritchie sat across from Trip on the sofa, leaning his head on his hand as he listened to his friend read the article aloud.

"Okay," was all Ritchie said when he finished.

"Okay? Okay what?"

"I don't know what you want me to say, Trip," Ritchie sighed. "It's a very brief article."

"There are a couple more lines, but it just talks about how Darumaka was quarantined for study," Trip said. "Even if it is brief, it is the _thirteenth_ Pokémon-on-trainer attack in Unova since that Minccino."

"Trip, I think Pokémon-on-trainer are way more common than most of us think," Ritchie shrugged. "I've been bitten and shocked by Sparky a few times. It happens."

"But you've never had your face disfigured by any of your Pokémon," Trip contended.

"That was the first one with the Minccino," Ritchie said calmly, "which _was_ unusual. But have any of these other trainers been hospitalized? There are lot of talks about bad bites and maybe some stitches, but that's not the same. I think the Minccino incident just gave everyone a heightened awareness that, yeah, sometimes Pokémon attack their trainers, and now it's trending in the news."

"The trainers said her Darumaka had been acting strange since it battled a Houndoom," Trip reminded.

"So? A lot of Pokémon can get their pride wounded after losing."

"There was a Houndoom that attacked its trainer and escaped before it could be sent to a rehabilitation center a couple weeks ago," Trip went on.

"Who's to say it's the same Houndoom?" Ritchie asked.

"Houndoom's a Johtoan Pokémon."

"Sure, but it can be found in the wild here, too," Ritchie said. "I think you might be overthinking this, Trip."

Trip looked ready to retort again, but instead, he sighed.

"Maybe you're right," he conceded.

Ritchie frowned.

"You know, Ash and the others went to the battle club today," he said. "Maybe we can join them?"

"Yeah, we can," Trip mumbled. He turned to grab his Pokéballs off his desk, but his cell phone rang before he could get to them. He pulled it out of his back pocket, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Iris... ?" he inquired, answering.

"_Hey,_" she greeted. "_Why do you sound so surprised?_"

"Because you're actually using your phone," Trip said dryly.

"_Well, that's because I have surprising news._" Iris was undeterred. "_I actually have something for you to do._"

_**June 11th, 2009. Afternoon. La Rousse City.**_

"Elijah?" Olivia inquired as she stepped into the miniature library contained within the Rogers estate, where she knew she would find him. Elijah looked up from where he was sitting, his eyes leaving the text _The Symbiosis Between Pokémon and Humans_. She continued, "Mr. Rogers has spoken with his lawyer privately and agreed to sign off on his will."

"Excellent," Elijah said, closing the book. "What great news. We can rest easy now."

"I can't."

"Why not, my dear?" Elijah raised an eyebrow.

"What if he changes his mind?" Olivia asked.

"Why would he?" Elijah shrugged. "I think Mr. Hayden has not done much to veil is obvious disdain for his father. Mr. Rogers has no reason to reverse his decision."

"I'd like to not take any risks," Olivia persisted.

Elijah stared, pursing his lips. Then, he let out a sigh as he stood up.

"Very well," he gave in. He moved toward one of the bookcases, pulling out a text. He set the book aside before retrieving a small vial containing a translucent, lavender liquid that he had kept hidden. "If you must insist on further muddying my conscience..." Elijah turned to Olivia, handing the vial to her. "Take this."

"More of the same thing?" Olivia shook her head. "This isn't the time for your science experiments."

Elijah's lips twisted into a menacing smile, one that sent a chill up even Olivia's spine.

"This amount, I imagine, will prove lethal," he said.

* * *

><p>There were few places Drew had imagined he would never visit again in his life.<p>

One was his father's mansion. Yet, it was only two weeks earlier that he found himself walking through his family's rose garden once again.

The other was the La Rousse Battle Tower. As a child, Drew remembered, his father took him to the Battle Tower often, letting Drew spectate the often heated battles that occurred on every floor. Admittedly, it was something in which Drew found mild enjoyment, if only because it was a break from intense studying schedule. The visits to the Battle Tower were reminders of what he was one day supposed to have.

Of course, when he saw his first contest on television, he realized he didn't want it anymore (if he had ever wanted it at all). Yet somehow, for some reason, he felt compelled to walk through the doors into the tower that day, his legs carrying him to the registration desk themselves.

"Good afternoon, sir," one of the women manning the desk greeted. "How may I help you today?"

"Hi... I'm wondering if there are any tournaments I can entire tonight?" Drew asked cautiously. "Single battle. I don't have a partner."

"You're in luck," the woman said, smiling. "We are actually holding a 3-on-3 Single Battle Tournament tonight. Would you like to enter?"

"How much to register?"

"The entrance fee is $15," the woman answered. "Or, $12 if you make a $5 donation to cancer research. Would you like to donate?"

Drew's lips tightened as he stared at her wordlessly for a long moment.

"Yeah," he finally agreed, pulling out his wallet. "Why not?"

_**June 11th, 2009. Noon. Opelucid City.**_

"So May and Zoey went to check out the Club Battle stadium in Nimbasa Town, huh?" Ash asked as he masterfully hooked a large glob of noodles on his chopsticks and brought them to his mouth. After having his share, he let Pikachu take a bite, too. It was lunch break at the CIU, and most of the staff had left to grab food—only Dawn, Barry, and Kenny had stayed behind so they could meet with Ash's group and enjoy a meal together in the office.

"That's right!" Barry answered, enthused. "We're wanna hold a big contest to get everyone hyped! I mean, I'm hyped, and I'm not even a coordinator!"

Ash laughed before adding, "I'm hyped, too! I'm kind of disappointed that I probably won't be around by then. I totally would've wanted to enter. I'll have to catch it on TV or something."

"Well, you never know," Dawn began with a wry smile. "Win or lose the match against Leaf, maybe you'll want to come back here just so you can enter."

"It might be weird to have the Champion-in-waiting entering a public event like that," Trip pointed out.

"But it would draw in a _huge_ crowd." Kenny grinned.

"I think you'll already get a big crowd," Misty said. "Contests coming to Unova is a pretty big deal."

"To be honest, I'm surprised they're not already here," Serena began distractedly as she struggled to use her own chopsticks; they kept slipping from her fingers. "My mom and I have watched contests on TV before. I thought they were everywhere in Napaj."

"Me too," Clemont said. "Why aren't they already in Unova?"

"Mr. Contesta, the APC's president, has tried several times to establish a branch here," Dawn explained. "But the person who was Unova Champion before Iris wasn't able to get it going. Which is a good thing for Iris, I guess."

"I'm disappointed we're not gonna be here, too," Bonnie said, pouting. "I also would've liked to enter it."

"You certainly are ambitious," Gary mumbled, twirling one of his chopsticks through his food.

"Hey, remember that I came _close_ to beating Misty today," Bonnie reminded, shaking a finger at him.

"Really? How close?" Kenny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I took out one of her three Pokémon," Bonnie answered proudly. "I consider that good since she's an Elite Four member."

"I'd say it is," Dawn said, smiling. "I haven't battled Misty in a while, but I don't know if I would fare that well in a 3-on-3."

"I wouldn't write you off that fast, Dawn," Misty said with a smirk.

"I wouldn't either."

Dawn's chest tightened, recognizing the voice. The rest of the group went silent, too, as Paul made an unexpected appearance in the office. His gaze briefly connected with Dawn's, but then he turned his head away. Still, in that short instant, she saw a lot—his dulled eyes, the darkening skin beneath them, his mussed hair—the appearance of exhaustion, the cause of which she could only guess.

She eventually looked away, too.

"Uh... Hi, Paul!" Barry was one of the first to jump up, being one of thew few who seemed at all happy to see him. "What'cha doin' here?"

"I'm just dropping off a check," Paul said, holding a closed envelope out to him. "The Unova League's donation to the CIU."

"Oh, thanks!" Barry took the envelope and grinned back at him before asking, "So, how've you been lately?"

"Not in the mood for small talk," Paul dismissed, turning away. "I'll see you later."

Barry's expression was a mix of both annoyance and disappointment as Paul left. The rest of the group appeared similarly put off. Ash wore a worried frown, while Dawn's eyes were on the ground. Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena exchanged confused glances.

"Geez, he's been salty lately," Trip remarked once Paul had left.

"Paul's always been that way," Kenny grumbled.

"Knock it off, you guys," Misty warned, recognizing Dawn's discomfort. Dawn perked up when she realized everyone was looking at her, and she forced a smile.

"No need to worry!" she assured them before quickly changing the subject. "So, Ash, how did training at the battle club go?"

Still, Serena wasn't willing to move on yet. She leaned toward Gary, asking in a low voice, "What was _that_ all about?"

* * *

><p>"Dragonite, quickly, use Thunderpunch!"<p>

"Dodge Granbull, then use Take Down!"

Dragonite's fist barely missed Granbull before the Fairy-type charged straight toward him, making direct impact in his chest. Dragonite skidded back, out of the battle field lines. He fell to one knee to stop himself from hitting the wall near the entrance—just as Cilan had opened the doors. The commotion caught the connoisseur off guard.

"Goodness..." Cilan began after recovering. He addressed Dragonite, asking, "Are you okay?"

Dragonite grunted and staggered to his feet. He gave Cilan a reaffirming nod before heading back toward his previous position on the field.

"Hi Cilan!" Iris cheerfully greeted, waving.

"Hello dear," Cilan replied, still looking bewildered. "Sorry for interrupting your battle. Carry on."

"Gladly." Leaf smirked. "Granbull, Crunch!"

As the battle resumed, Cilan scuttled around the outside bounds of the field until he met with Paul on the other side. The Sinnoh Champion was watching the match, though judging by his expression, Cilan would have guessed there were other things he'd rather be doing.

"How was class?" Paul asked when Cilan joined him, his eyes never leaving the field.

"Aside from an unwanted presence, everything went well," Cilan answered tactily.

"An unwanted presence?"

"Never mind." Cilan shook his head. "What are the standings right now?"

"Don't know. Like you, I walked in late," Paul grumbled in response. "I had to run an errand for Iris and Leaf."

"What errand?"

"Giving the CIU staff its check."

"I see..." Cilan trailed off. "How did that go?"

"It was..." Paul stopped, with no intention to finish.

When Cilan realized this, he frowned and asked, "Are you all right?"

"Why do you ask?" Paul mumbled.

"Well... you seem rather tired," Cilan said truthfully. Paul stared, never answering the question, and Cilan figured he never would as his eyes once again returned to the field when Iris made another call.

* * *

><p>"Well, I guess we should get going," Ash said, tossing his emptied to-go box into a nearby trash bin. "I know you guys have tons of stuff to do still. Thanks for havin' us here, though!"<p>

"Oh for sure!" Kenny said. "We should do this way more often."

"I agree." Misty nodded.

"I'm always for cheap take-out," Ritchie added with a smile.

Everyone in the circle stood and began to gather their things and push back their chairs to where they had first retrieved them. Dawn still held her unfinished food in one hand—she had lost her appetite and decided it might be better to save it for later—as she tried to pull her chair back with the other. Serena swooped in to help her.

"Here, I'll hold that for you," she said, taking the box.

"Thanks." Dawn offered a quick smile before she left to return her chair. Serena waited patiently, watching her, until she came back. Dawn thanked her again as she took back her food, and a brief silence followed—leading Serena to decide she needed to strike up a conversation to dispell it.

"So Gary told me you and Paul broke up recently." Serena immediately wanted to hit herself. _That_ was the best she could come up with? It was an ice_maker_ instead of an ice_breaker_.

"Uh, yeah..." Dawn tepidly answered. "I'm surprised you hadn't been told already."

"Well, to be honest, there are a lot of things I'm not told." Serena let out a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry. I'm making a terrible impression. I sound really bitter."

"No! It's all right!" Dawn assured her. "I don't think anyone means it as a slight against you—I think people are just trying to protect me when they don't need to. It makes sense you'd be curious after he came in."

"How long has it been since you two split up?" Serena asked, finding she really _was_ curious.

"About two weeks."

"Only that long?" Serena drew back in surprise. "Wow, I'm sorry, I didn't realize 'recent' was two-weeks recent. I feel really bad now."

"Don't." Dawn waved it off.

"Yeah, she deserves someone better anyway!" Bonnie popped into the conversation. "Someone nicer!"

"_Bonnie,_" Serena admonished.

Dawn offered a crooked smile.

"To be honest, I'd rather people just not make a big deal of it. It's hard, though, when we're in the same circle of friends," she said. "Plus, I really don't think I'm the one who needs to be worried about."

"I think they just see you're sad," Bonnie mused.

"Hm?" Dawn blinked.

"I mean, even I can tell you're sad," Bonnie said. "Love is hard, you know? Serena knows all about that."

Serena appeared embarrassed, and Dawn cast her an intrigued look as she asked, "Bad break-up?"

"Heartbreak, more like," Serena dismissed, refusing to elaborate.

"And, plus, I've been trying to find a match for my brother for years, and it's never worked out," Bonnie went on. Her eyes grew starry as an idea struck her. "Hey, Dawn, now that you're single, maybe you and Clemont should head out together."

"No, Bonnie!" Clemont called from across the room, a small blush evident on his face. He had practically developed a sixth sense for telling when Bonnie was trying to set him up on a date, and he was always sure to put a stop to it.

"Just kidding!" Bonnie cheerfully told him. She then lowered her voice to a whisper, telling Dawn, "But seriously, though, you're super cute and deserve a really sweet boyfriend, which Clemont could definitely be."

Dawn let out a nervous laugh.

"Thanks," she said. "but I'm really not interested in dating right now, though I'm sure your brother is quite the catch."

Bonnie frowned, pouting.

"Hm..." she hummed. "You know what you need? Something that'll help you be happy! Something that'll help you move on! And I know just what it could be!"

"What's that?" Dawn asked, deciding to go along with it.

"They say the best way to get over the past is to change," Bonnie said. "And the best way for girls to get over a breakup is to change their hair!"

"A... haircut?"

"You got it!" Bonnie grinned. "And Serena can give you one for free!"

"Wait—" Serena's eyes widened. "—no, Bonnie, don't pull me into this."

"She attended beauty school!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"I dropped out after a year," Serena clarified, addressing Dawn.

"She cuts mine and Clemont's hair all the time, and it looks great!" Bonnie added.

"It's passable." Serena continued to try to convince Dawn otherwise.

"It would be fun! You'd look really good with shoulder-length hair. Ooh, or even a pixie cut!"

"Don't listen to her."

"You should go for it, Dawn!" Ash, too, jumped into the conversation.

"Ash-" Serena began, exasperated, but she she was cut off before she could finish.

"-I've got scissors in my desk!" Barry shouted after shuffling through his drawer and holding a pair above his head.

"No..." Serena hid her face in her hands.

"Great! Those'll work just fine!" Bonnie beamed.

"I thought we were supposed to be leaving soon." A hint of desperation edged into Serena's tone.

"We can hang around." Trip shrugged.

"The CIU needs to get to work!" Serena threw out another excuse.

"The rest of the staff hasn't come back yet, so it's all right," Kenny said coolly.

Serena now looked downright frustrated.

"Dawn hasn't even said-" she began, but the person in question—Dawn—finally spoke up.

"-Okay," Dawn said lightly, giving in.

"What?" Serena looked at her, confused and still unsure if she knew what exactly she was agreeing to do. Dawn smiled weakly.

"I'm convinced," she said with a shrug. "I've been meaning to get a haircut for a while, so why not?"

Serena stared at her for a moment. Yet, she also couldn't help but let her lips twitch into a small smiled as her attitude began to shift.

"All right," she said.

_**June 11th, 2009. Afternoon. Nimbasa Town.**_

"Wow," May breathed as she gripped the railing overlooking the field. "This place if beautiful! I've always loved open-air stadiums."

"They do make for some really awesome Fire-type appeals," Zoey added, agreeing. She glanced at Don Georgia behind her, asking, "How many does this stadium seat?"

"It's 'round 10,000, I believe," he answered.

"Oh..." May looked toward Zoey. "How many people do contest halls normally seat?"

"It varies," Zoey replied. "About 3,000 is standard for a small contest hall. Larger ones, like the one in Slateport City, can be more than double that size. Grand Festival stadiums are absurdly large. I think the one in Sinnoh is like 40,000 or some other big number."

"So will 10,000 be enough?" May asked.

"Should be." Zoey nodded. "As cool as the concept of Unova contests is, I don't think it will draw in a crowd on the scale of the Grand Festival.

"Right." May looked back at the battlefield. She then, however, frowned and turned toward to Don George to also ask him a question: "Where's backstage?"

"'Fraid we don't have one," Don George sheepishly answered. He pointed toward an area on the ground level, which was separated from the battlefield by a short, blue wall. "See that place with all the benches? That's where are all the entrants stay. I guess coordinators usually wait backstage before performing, though..."

"I don't think it will be a problem," Zoey said. "I think it's cool, actually. All the contestants will get to watch each other live and up-close. Normally, we have see the action on a screen. The only loss are lockers, and that's not a big deal. I've been to plenty of contests where there weren't any lockers, and most coordinators don't use them anyway."

"That's a relief." Don George grinned beneath his mustache. "We'd love to have you guys here. Have a daughter myself whose a coordinator, but she has to travel to compete, and I don't get the chance to see her perform in-person much 'cause I'm busy here. It would be a lot easier with contests in Unova, so I'm pullin' for you guys to succeed."

"We're pulling for us to succeed, too," Zoey laughed.

"Well, I thought I ought to let you know we're willing to go 80-20 on gross profit—with the CIU receiving 80 percent," Don George said.

Zoey and May both appeared shocked by this offer.

"R-Really?" May stammered. "That would be amazing!"

"And _very_ generous," Zoey added.

"It's the least I can do," Don George chortled. "Don't know how much we can estimate we can make for you—it depends of the ticket prices—but I can head back to my office, grab a calculator, and try to give you an estimate."

"That would be great, thank you," May said. When Don George left, she whipped her head toward Zoey and excitedly said, "I love this place."

"I do, too. And at an 80-20 split? It's a no-brainer," Zoey said. "When he comes back, we should talk getting a contract and setting a date."

"I don't want to sign any contracts yet, not without Drew's approval," May contended. Her eyes then lit up with remembrance. "Oh! Speaking of Drew..."

She reached into her back pocket, pulled out her phone, and opened up the camera function. She held the lens out toward the field and snapped her first picture.

_**June 11th, 2009. Evening. La Rousse City.**_

The mansion was eerily quiet when Drew stepped through the front door. Granted, it had always been quiet—more so with the Master of the home on his deathbed—but this silence was consuming. There was, at least, usually the background noise of a maid or other employee shuffling around, but no one was in sight.

Drew tightened his grip on the plastic trophy in his hand, proof that he had won tonight's tournament. He had swept the competition, in fact, and it came with some minor earnings, plus the cheap award in his hands. For a multi-million-dollar business, Drew thought the Battle Tower probably could afford to hand out better trophies.

"Mr. Hayden." Elijah appeared at the bottom of the staircase, drawing Drew's eyes to him.

"I'm sorry I disappeared for so long," Drew apologized. "Did someone bring my father food for dinner tonight?"

Elijah said nothing for a long moment, and Drew turned his head, suspicious.

"What?" he asked after a moment.

"Mr. Hayden..." Elijah began carefully. "Your father passed away earlier this evening."

The words had an icy sting, and Drew's breath caught. He tried to speak, but his mouth had run dry, and the words knotted in his throat.

"He... He what?" he finally managed to sputter out.

"Your father died about an hour ago," Elijah repeated.

"That's... That's not possible." Drew shook his head. "He was fine earlier. I mean, not _fine_, but he was sitting up and reading and talking and..."

Drew quickly brushed past Elijah, up the staircase, toward his father's room. The door was open, and Ana and Olivia were sitting on either side of him, not unlike the first night Drew had arrived. Except, his father didn't call his name this time.

He slowly approached the bedside and felt unexpectedly sick to his stomach when he saw his father's pale face; at least, Ana and Olivia had performed the courtesy of closing his eyes. Still, Drew hadn't prepared for this now. Logically, he knew it was coming. It had been obvious the moment he arrived that his father's health was failing him, yet, considering the life—the cognizance—that was still in him when they spoke that morning, which, despite the present tensions, was the most personal conversation they had held in years, Drew hadn't expected him to pass _that night_.

Drew hesitated as he reached out to touch his father's hand, which had already started to cool and turn rigid. Yet, something didn't feel right. Drew pulled his hand away to see yet another purplish, bumpy aberration—one that wasn't there when his father, then living, tried to hold his hand earlier in the day.

_**June 11th, 2009. Evening. Opelucid City.**_

Dawn sat alone at the table in what was now her and Zoey's apartment, a glass of wine in her right hand—it was one of those nights. Her left left index finger was twirling through a lock in her hair, which was much shorter than it was when she woke up that morning, now falling just above her shoulders. At Dawn's request, Serena had taken off quite a lot—close to a foot, perhaps. Now, her head felt lighter, but she wasn't sure if anything else did.

She heard the front door open. Zoey was finally home.

"Dawn, you here?" Zoey called out.

"Yeah," Dawn answered, raising her voice just enough to be heard. "In the kitchen. How was the stadium?

"It was great! May and I think-" When Zoey walked into the kitchen, she stopped short, giving Dawn a once-over. "Did you get a haircut?"

"Oh, yeah," Dawn replied with a small laugh, briefly touching her own head. "It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. Bonnie suggested it. Apparently, Serena went to beauty school for a year before she enrolled in college."

"Well, she did a really nice job," Zoey complimented. "Short hair is cute on you."

"Thanks. It's different, but I do like it." Dawn dropped her hand again. "I'd been meaning to get it cut for a while, but it had gotten so long and been growing for so many years that I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger. But, Bonnie said it might be cathartic for me, so I decided to just do it."

"Cathartic?" Zoey raised an eyebrow as she sat across from her companion. Dawn briefly pursed her lips.

"... Paul visited the office today," she admitted. "According to Bonnie, getting a haircut helps with getting over break-ups."

"Did it?" Zoey asked.

"Well..." Dawn trailed off, lifting her wineglass as an answer.

"Right." Zoey clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, giving the the 't' extra emphasis. "It really hasn't been that long Dawn. It's understandable you're still upset."

Dawn said nothing for a while, averting her eyes. She took a sip of her drink. Zoey watched her, knowing something was on her mind.

"He didn't look so good today," Dawn said after a moment.

"He's probably upset you're broken up, too," Zoey half-grumbled, shrugging.

"Maybe," was all Dawn said. Zoey narrowed her gaze. Then, she let out a sigh.

"Dawn, what's wrong with Paul?" she asked in a low. Dawn drew in a sharp breath, and Zoey knew she had hit the right chord.

"I... I don't know," Dawn stammered out.

"I think you know something," Zoey contended, "because you're acting like there's something about Paul that's really bothering you—and not in the 'I-can't-believe-he-broke-up-with-me' way, but in the 'I'm-really-worried-about-him' way. You've said over and over again that you think the Championship has been really hard on him. What _does_ that mean?"

Dawn's face twisted, and she appeared conflicted. She struggled with herself internally for a few moments longer before finally speaking.

"His family has a history with mental illness."

Zoey was silent for moment, though her face didn't break.

"And you think Paul..." she began before Dawn cut her off.

"I'm not sure," Dawn sighed. "I'm really not. I tried to approach the subject, but it's obviously not something easy to talk about... and he would shut down the conversation every time."

"So he's in denial?" Zoey asked.

"Could be," Dawn conceded. "Or, maybe I am completely wrong and was harassing him about a problem that wasn't there, in which case, I might break up with me, too."

"Dawn, you and Paul have been off-and-on for seven years," Zoey reminded. "You know him better than most people. You certainly know him better than anyone in our group. I think you need to trust your instincts more."

"I would hate to blow the whistle if nothing's wrong. I would hate to put Paul through that—and he'd actually hate me for it."

"I think you'd hate not blowing the whistle if something is more."

Dawn stared. She took another sip of her wine before pushing the glass away.

"I do wonder..." she began tepidly, "... if the reason we broke up was because I was right, and he knew it, and he didn't want to admit it—and he didn't want me to make him admit it."

Zoey inhaled through her nose.

"You know," she started, "Paul might have thought he could stop the questions if he broke up with you... but do you know who he can't get rid of?"

"Who?"

Zoey leaned closer to her.

"Leaf."

_**June 11th, 2009. Evening. La Rousse City.**_

Another place Drew never expected he would visit again: His bedroom.

When he escaped jumped out the window that night years ago, he had left believing he would never lie in his bed again, never stare at the ceiling again when he should have been doing something else. Yet, there he was, lying flat on his back, his mind making masterpieces of the kernels above him. Drew had been unnerved when he first returned to his childhood bedroom the day he arrived and hadn't been back until then. Somehow, in the hour since he had learned of his father's death, he room had regained its quality as an escape from the nightmares outside it.

Drew could hear voices down the hallway. Workers from a funeral home had arrived to collect the body. Elijah had promised he would take care of all he arrangements for the funeral, including setting a date: June 18th, which happened to fall on the same day as the CIU's Q&A event. Drew had already figured it wouldn't be a problem. He would attend the ceremony in the morning, catch a flight in the afternoon, and go to the event in the evening. All he needed to do was book the flight.

He couldn't bring himself to do much of anything, though. His motivation had sunk—and that was scary, because Drew had always considered himself an ambitious person. Maybe he had inherited that from his father. At least, he hoped he had inherited his mother's moral compass, which Chris had claimed she actually had.

His cell phone rang. Drew retrieved it and glanced at the caller ID before answering.

"Hey, May," Drew greeted flatly.

"_Hi!_" May cheerfully replied. "_So Zoey and I just got back into Opelucid! We love the stadium, and we think it'll be great for a contest! We'll be able to advertise it at the Q&A like you wanted._"

"That's awesome." Drew couldn't muster excitement in his tone.

"_We wanted to clear it with you before we made it official, but we're thinking July 24th,_" May went on. "_Did you get the pictures I sent you? I made sure to take a ton!_"

"I haven't looked at them yet," he admitted.

"_Hey... are you okay?_" May asked, worry filling her voice. "_You sound kind of down._"

Drew let out a shaky breath.

"May... he died tonight."

"_What?! Your father died?_" May asked, aghast.

"Yeah."

"_How long ago?_"

"Maybe two hours," Drew answered. "I don't know. I wasn't here when it happened. The _one_ time I leave the mansion..."

"_Drew..._" May trailed off, at an apparent loss for words. "_How are you doing?_"

"Been better, to be honest," Drew replied. "I don't really know what to think. I guess I wasn't expecting it to actually happen, even though I probably should have."

"_It's okay to be sad,_" she reminded him. "_Is there going to be a funeral?_"

"Next week, yes," Drew replied. "On the day of the Q&A. I'll be back before it starts. I promised I would be back by then."

"_I think we would all be understanding if you needed more time._"

"I don't want more time," Drew dismissed. "I want to get out of here, and I want to go back to work at the CIU, and I want to be with you again."

"_I can come out there,_" May offered.

"Don't do that," Drew said firmly. "Anyway, as for the stadium... I trust you and Zoey completely, so if you think it's good, then so do I. Go ahead and make the arrangements official."

"_We will..._"

Drew stayed quiet for a long moment as his arm fell across his eyes.

"I should call Solidad, too," he decided. "It's late, but she'll want to know."

"_All right..._" May agreed. "_Take care of yourself, okay?_"

"Mhm."

"_You know I love you, right?_"

Drew's lips twitched into a smile, one of the first in several hours. She had said it earlier, but for some reason, it meant much more now.

"I do," he said. "I love you, too."

_**June 11th, 2009. Evening. Opelucid City.**_

"So Leaf tells me you're going to the CIU's Q&A panel next week," Cilan immediately struck up a conversation when he walked into Iris's office, finding her lying on the chaise lounge, staring confusedly at his textbook, _The Symbiosis Between Pokémon and Humans. _She had never read like he had, but she had grown so bored that she was growing desperate to find something with which to occupy herself.

Iris's eyes moved toward his.

"Oh, yeah," she said, letting out a nervous chuckle. "I forgot to tell you about that."

She sat up, stretched, and set the book aside.

"You do realize there will be cameras there, right?" Cilan asked. "There's going to be an awful lot of attention paid toward you—toward us."

"You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"No, I do," Cilan tacitly said. "I'm just giving you fair warning."

"I'll deal with it," Iris replied, rising to her feet. She smirked and folded her arms before adding, "Funny you're worried about this when you're usually such an attention hog."

"I don't appreciate the attention so much when it's prying, especially on you."

Iris frowned.

"I know," she sighed. "I'm not too worried about it. To be honest, people are probably going to ask more about me having a baby than about me being almost assassinated."

"True," Cilan conceded. He paused, a hand reaching out to cup her lower abdomen. "You're nine weeks now."

"Yeah, and... ?" Iris rolled her eyes.

"You're starting to show," he said, drawing his hand away. "Just a little bit."

Iris blinked and looked down at herself. She _supposed_ she could see a small curve forming, but it could easily be concealed by most of her wardrobe.

"Are you sure that's actually a baby or a few too many Ganlon berries?" Iris asked dryly.

This elicited a laugh from Cilan, and he leaned in to peck her on the lips. She smiled wearily when he pulled back.

"You seem to be more excited about this," she said.

"I'll admit, I'm starting to warm up to the idea," he confessed.

Iris felt a warmth fill up her belly, and she wondered whether it was him or the baby—either way, she ultimately owed it to him. She glanced shyly down at the floor and then up again.

"I think I might be, too," she said.

"Hey, Iris, I was wondering-" Leaf's voice emerged from the hallway before she appeared in the doorway. She stopped short, however, when she caught the couple standing intimately close in the office. "Mew, I'm sorry," Leaf continued with an awkward laugh. "I'm interrupting a moment."

"No, no, you're fine," Iris assured her, stepping back from her husband. "What's up?"

Leaf didn't look satisfied. Still, she asked, "I was wondering if you had invited Georgia to go to the Q&A event?"

"I haven't, but I can," Iris replied. "Why?"

"People are already going to be taking pictures of you, and it would be great if Georgia is in some of them," Leaf explained. "It'll give the media some lovely stock of you two together when we announce her as your pick the next day, and it gives off the impression that you two are friends and that this is a positive choice."

"I wouldn't say Georgia and I are exactly friends..." Iris half-laughed.

"You don't have to be." Leaf shrugged. "As long as you look friendly with each other, which isn't too hard to accomplish, then you'll be golden."

"Ms. Greene?"

Leaf blinked and turned to find one of Paul's Sinnoan G-Men agents behind her.

"Yes, Agent Murray?" she inquired.

"There's a young woman who wants to speak with you," Agent Murray went on. "Dawn Berlitz."

"Dawn?" Iris appeared confused, as did Leaf.

"Well, sure, bring her in," Leaf said. As Agent Murray nodded and left to retrieve her, Leaf turned back toward Iris and Cilan, asking, "Did either of you know she was coming?"

"I didn't." Iris shook her head.

"Neither did I," Cilan said.

Nevertheless, when Agent Murray returned with Dawn in tow, Iris cheerfully greeted, "Hey! Surprised to see you here. ... Did you get a haircut?"

"Hi," Dawn replied with a tired smile. "I did, actually. ... I'm sorry to drop in like this." She looked and sounded nervous, unsure of herself even.

"It's always our pleasure to have you," Cilan said. "To what do we owe this visit?"

"Actually..." Dawn drew her arms around herself. "I came to talk to Leaf."

Iris and Cilan exchanged a quick glance. She nodded to him.

"We'll excuse ourselves then," Cilan said politely, looking back at Dawn. She immediately appeared guilty; she knew how uncomfortable it was, coming to their home, and the implying she didn't want them around.

"I'm sorry," Dawn quickly apologized as the couple passed by her.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Iris assured her before they disappeared.

Leaf stayed quiet, her lips tight, until both Iris and Cilan were gone. She recognized the awkwardness of the situation, too. Yet, she also knew Dawn wouldn't come and request a private conversation unless it was important—and Cilan and Iris certainly understood that, too.

"What's this about?" Leaf asked seriously after a moment.

Dawn exhaled shakily. She wondered if it was too late to back out. She still wasn't even sure if this was her place to speak.

"Paul," she finally answered.

Leaf inclined her head.

"What about him?"

Dawn hesitated again. But, she sucked in her breath and gathered her courage—which she knew was pathetic, as Paul might say, in comparison.

"I think he might need help," she said quietly.

Leaf started at her wordlessly for a long moment, her expression deadpanning. At least, though, she understood why Dawn wanted the conversation to private. She let out a sigh and folded her arms.

"Shut the door and sit down."

_**December 12th, 2003. Late Morning. Veilstone City.**_

"Do you ever miss your father?" The question came unexpectedly, and it caught Dawn off guard, to the point where she questioned if she had imagined him asking it. Yet, she also knew she couldn't be making it up—she saw the words rise in a white mist, up into the cool winter air.

"It's hard to miss something that was never there," she answered after gathering herself. She and Paul stood fully decked out into winter wear outside the pen, where Reggie kept the Pokémon in his care. Several of the Pokémon—a Zigzagoon and Furret in particular—were playing together in the snow. The weather had been colder that season; when Reggie and Maylene married nearly a year earlier, not a spot of snow was on the ground until late December.

"Right," Paul grunted, looking away as he slid his hands into his pockets. "It was a stupid question."

"It wasn't," Dawn assured him. "There's no such things as a stupid question."

"I beg to differ," Paul mumbled. "Sounds like a thing you'd say, though."

Dawn frowned. Her first instinct was to ask what he meant by that—but she already knew. Dawn leaned her head back and let out a long, misty breath.

"I think there's a certain emptiness with him never being there, though," she said thoughtfully. "But, I don't think about it as much anymore. I figure at this point it's probably better not to know. I'd hate to ever be in Ash's shoes. Not that I think my father is or was the head of a crime ring, but still. I have my Mom, and I think that's more than enough."

"What a nice sentiment."

"Can you not be sarcastic when I'm trying to be sincere?" Dawn asked, annoyed.

Paul didn't offer an apology this time, and Dawn let out a sigh. She looked back toward the wrestling Zigzagoon and Furret. The Furret had buried itself beneath the sheet of snow and jumped out in an attempted surprise attack.

"... What about you?" she asked after a prolonged silence.

"What about me?"

"Do you ever miss your mother?" Dawn clarified. "You were... 8 when she died, right?"

"Mhm," Paul intoned. "Hard to say if I 'miss' her, though. I never really knew her."

"What do you mean?"

"She was a different person by the time I came around," he explained in short. "At least, that's what Reggie and Brandon say. I can believe it. She was very disconnected from reality."

"Disconnected, how?" Dawn asked.

"She was schizophrenic," Paul said bluntly. "She had medication, but it apparently made her very... fuzzy. That's how she would describe it when she argued that she wanted to go off, but Reggie and Brandon wouldn't let her do it. She slept most of the time. She'd usually go off anyway and have these fits. I didn't think they were really anything abnormal until later, because I didn't know anything different."

Dawn was silent, listening intently. It was rare when she could get Paul to open up about this kind of thing, and she understood why.

"Brandon wanted to have her temporarily committed," Paul continued. His gaze fell to the ground as he kicked some snow with his foot. "I didn't know about that until last year, when Brandon decided he wanted to reconnect with Reggie and I. He didn't want to put her into a publicly funded place, though; he wanted something better, something that would actually help, which was something we couldn't afford, despite the fact he was a Frontier Brain. So he took a gig studying ruins that would definitely pay for it, but it fell apart to say the least, and so did my mother."

He paused before adding, "Truthfully, it's not entirely clear whether she killed herself or not. It could have been an accident, her drowning. But Reggie seems to think it was a suicide, so I guess I do, too."

Dawn clasped her hands together.

"I wish I knew what to say," she admitted.

"Sometimes, it's better not to say anything," Paul mumbled.

"Is that your philosophy on life?"

Paul furrowed his eyebrows, giving her a strange look, and Dawn let out a nervous chuckle.

"Sorry. I didn't mean for that to sound bitter or anything," she said. "You're a quiet person, that's all. I like when you talk, though, because you always have something important to say."

"That's a first."

She said nothing further, and neither did he as she wrapped an arm around his and leaned against his shoulder. The Furret and Zigzagoon headed back into their wooden shelter, away from the snow, and curled up together for warmth after an exhausting session of play.

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	12. XI: In Which Paul Loses His Heart

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Chapter XI: In Which Paul Loses His Heart

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_**June 18th, 2009. Morning. La Rousse City.**_

Drew had one and only one amusing thought that morning: What if someone mistook him for his father?

Although, truthfully, it was hardly amusing. Maybe in a morbid, objective sense it was; it would be the stuff of a comedy, a crowd of mourners panicking because they thought the unknown child of the deceased was a spirit come to admire his own funeral. When the thought occurred to Drew, however—when he looked in the mirror that morning, dressed in a suit and tie, and realized, 'Arceus, I _do_ look like him'—he didn't feel like laughing. Mostly, he was irritated at the prospect, but the feeling was welcome in a weird way, because he hadn't felt much at all that week.

Drew headed down the grand staircase and found Harley sitting on of the red velvet sofas, idly playing a game on his phone. He, too, was dressed in black.

"Where's Solidad?" Drew asked stiffly. "We have to leave soon."

"I told you already, kiddo," Harley answered without looking up. "She had to run an errand."

Drew let out a frustrated sigh. Solidad had insisted she come, and though Drew had repeatedly told her that wasn't necessary, he was glad she was there in La Rousse with him—he only wished she had left Harley behind.

"What could she possibly have to do right now?" Drew mumbled. "The service is starting soon."

"Why are you so antsy to be there anyway, Little Orphan Annie?" Harley asked dryly. "Oh, are you giving a speech?"

"I'm not. Elijah asked, but I said no. I didn't have anything to do with putting the service together—I'm just going," Drew said flatly. "Besides, people who talk at funerals are supposed to say nice things, and I don't have many nice things to say about my father."

"Ouch. Harsh." When Drew glowered at him, Harley added, "Hey, don't look at me like that. I get it. I wasn't close with my daddy either. Too camp for him, I guess."

Drew blinked. For the first time, a Harley comment was drawing out a hint of sympathy in Drew—but the moment soon ended when the front door opened and Solidad slid inside.

"Solidad, I-" Drew looked at her, but he stopped short when he realized who was with her. "May?"

Solidad smiled and shuffled off to the side, leaving May defenseless. Her eyes were wide, and her demeanor was nervous. Drew stared at her for a long time, still trying to process that she was actually there, standing in front of him, messy airplane hair and clothes and all.

"I-I know you said not to come," May began, breaking the silence, "but I looked into it anyway and saw there was a flight really early this morning, and I knew I would be cutting it close but-"

The rest of her words were lost against Drew's lips, reality having finally caught up with him. May did not expect this reaction, but it was definitely not unwelcome either.

"Gross," Harley scoffed, looking away. He was ignored, bar a roll of the eyes from Solidad. May laughed, nearly breathless, when Drew pulled away.

"So you're not mad?" she asked.

"No." Drew shook his head. "Why would I be?"

"Because you said not to come."

"There are a lot of things I say not to do." Drew's mood had taken an unexpected shift, one from apathy, perhaps with some underlying melancholy, to a spell of happiness. A spell, because it would surely wear off soon, considering where they were headed. "You flew all the way from Unova just to be here?"

"I thought it might help."

Drew's lip twitched into a smile, the first since Solidad had arrived yesterday morning (a smile that was, unfortunately, squashed by Harley's accompaniment).

"Well, it does," Drew said. "It really does."

May smiled, too, as she stepped back from him.

"I have a black dress in my bag," she said, pointing to it. "If you can give me just five minutes, I can change and we can go."

_**June 18th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"212," Georgia announced to herself when she came to stand in front of the door labeled as such. She didn't hesitate to raise a hand and knock before dropping it again, waiting.

"_Door's unlocked, come in,_" she heard Trip say through the wood. Georgia turned the handle and found it was true, so she let herself inside, closing the door behind her.

She wasn't prepared for what she saw.

Trip sat cross-legged on the floor, sitting in front of a cheap bulletin board he surely had only recently bought from the store, considering he hadn't nailed it to the wall yet. Scraps of newspapers were scattered at his feet, as were shavings of printer paper. Trip held a pair of scissors in his hands, and he was working on cutting out an article from one spread.

"Hey," he said, casting her a cursory glance. "I'll be ready to leave in a few minutes."

She stared.

"Trip, with all due respect, what the hell are you doing?" she finally asked.

"Building my case." Trip took his newly cut-out article and, picking out a blue thumbtack from a jar, stuck it onto the board. There, it joined at least a dozen and a half other newspaper articles, both online and print.

"Your case for _what_?"

"This morning," Trip began simply, grabbing all the leftover scraps of paper and balling them up to throw them away, "the person who was attacked by that Minccino last month died. This situation just went from odd to serious. While the injuries were disfiguring, they should not have killed him."

"What situation?" Georgia asked, craning an eyebrow.

"Seventeen other trainers have been attacked by their Pokémon since the Minccino," Trip answered, pointing to the board.

"I haven't heard about this."

"Probably because you haven't been paying attention," he said dryly. "I plan on bringing this to Iris to prove my point. She needs to do something."

"What? Why?"

"She's the Champion," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "This is getting bigger, and it's going to blow up soon—and it would be better for everyone if she responded before it did."

"How do you know about all this anyway?"

"I've been keeping my eye on it for weeks."

Georgia let out a short, disbelieving laugh that sounded more like a scoff.

"And here you were, insisting you were just her photographer," she said.

"I am her photographer." Trip opened a cabinet in his desk and set the scissors inside. "And do you know what photographers do? They create images, which create perceptions. I'm here for one reason—to make Iris look good, to make her look like the leader she is. This means I have to know what other images and perceptions of her there are out there, so I know how to combat them. And what is media but a billion images?"

"Nice speech," Georgia said drolly. "I thought we were taking my profile pictures for the Elite Four today."

Trip now appeared mildly put off, but he didn't comment on it.

"Yeah..." He retrieved his camera bag of his desk and hung it around his shoulders. "We can go now."

"To where?"

"The Opelucid Gym." Trip grabbed the board, and Georgia glowered at him.

"Can't you save your conspiracy theory for another time?" she asked.

"We're taking your pictures _at_ the Opelucid Gym." Now Trip sounded downright annoyed. "But, you're right, I'm sorry. Let me just put off telling Iris about this thing that could potentially kill people."

"Arceus, you're so dramatic." Trip opened his mouth to retort, but she quickly added with a wave of her hand, "No, wait, let's just pretend I didn't say that. I'm not in the mood for a lecture right now."

Trip shut his mouth again, though he remained irritated as Georgia held he door open for him so he could bring the board out with him into the hallway. She caught up with him not long after.

"You know, I really don't want to be seen with you in public with that," she said, and he groaned.

_**June 18th, 2009. Morning. La Rousse City.**_

"This church is beautiful," May marveled, walking hand-in-hand with Drew into the throng of people. Solidad and Harley were not far behind.

"Yeah, sure is," Harley agreed. "Solidad, make sure you get a church this big and fancy for my funeral when I die. Bigger if you can, in fact. I know there will be thousands of mourning fans who want to pay their respects, and I want them all to fit."

"Harley, you're an atheist," Solidad pointed out.

"So?" Harley scoffed. "Then it'll turn into a show. My empty, sinful vessel will incur the wrath of Arceus, and he will set my coffin aflame as soon as it's laid before the pews."

Drew wasn't paying attention to the conversation. His eyes were scanning the crowd, wondering if he would recognize anyone. He did—three people, in fact. Elijah, Ana, and Olivia were standing together, which Drew would have expected. What he did't expect, however, was to see the distress in their expressions; Ana's face was buried in her hands, and she appeared to be crying.

"Excuse me?" Drew turned his eyes away from the scene, toward a middle-aged man who had approached. "Are you Andrew Hayden, Christopher Rogers's son?"

"Just Drew, please," Drew politely corrected.

"My name is Casper Eadward," the man introduced himself. "I was your father's lawyer. Would it be possible for me to speak with you following the service?"

"I'm leaving for the airport almost immediately afterward, so no," Drew flat-out rejected him.

"Do you have a few minutes now then?" Casper asked.

Drew furrowed his eyebrows, and May looked at him with a wondering expression. Their gazes connected, and she nodded to him, assuring him it was okay.

"... Sure," Drew finally answered. He then turned to May, Solidad, and Harley, saying, "Go on, I'll catch up."

May loosened her hand from his without complaint, but Solidad looked suspicious. She mouthed the words "good luck" to Drew before leaving with Harley and May. Drew turned back to Casper.

"What's this about?" he asked.

"Your father's last will and testament," Casper answered simply.

"A... will?" The thought of a will, strangely enough, had not occurred to Drew. He wasn't sure why; he supposed coping—if that was the right word—with his father's death had dismissed all other thoughts.

"I'll make this brief Mr. Hayden," Casper said. "He's left you everything."

Drew blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"His estate, his business, his wealth—he left it all in your name."

There were several potential reactions Casper probably had in mind when he told Drew this information—happiness and shock among them; after all, he had just delivered the news Drew was now a millionaire. Yet, Drew's expression showed neither of these emotions. His face was blank as he processed this information—and then he look angry.

"_The Battle Tower?_" Drew seethed. "He left me the _Battle Tower_?"

Casper drew back in surprise.

"Yes," he answered. "I... was actually quite surprised when he requested my presence last Thursday and wanted to change the recipients named on his will. I've been your father's lawyer for a decade, and I _never knew_ he had a son."

"Yeah, we were... estranged..." Drew mumbled, still upset. "You said this happened last Thursday?"

"That's correct."

"The day he died?"

Casper nodded, and Drew let out a shaky breath.

"Who were recipients before me?" he asked.

"An assortment of people," Casper replied. "It won't be difficult to learn who, I imagine."

Drew initially didn't know what he meant. Then, his eyes slowly turned back toward the place where Elijah, Ana, and Olivia had been. They were gone.

"Answer me this at least: One person on the will, was he—or she—an... 'old friend'?" Drew's gaze was still averted.

"Your father had many old friends."

Drew pursed his lips.

"Elijah never told me my father had talked to you the day he died," he said.

"Elijah Colress?" Casper inquired.

Drew gave Casper an odd look—and then it occurred to him that Elijah had never told him his last name.

"I think so..." Drew trailed off.

"He was one of the former recipients," Casper informed him.

"Great," Drew bitterly mumbled. He rubbed his temple, now trying to make some sense of everything he now knew.

Casper waited for Drew to speak further, but when he didn't, the lawyer clicked his tongue and said, "So, as you can see, this is an important matter, and I would like to discuss making sure you receive-"

"-I'm sorry. I can't stay," Drew abruptly cut him off. "I really was serious when I said I was leaving for the airport right afterward."

Casper frowned.

"May I leave my card with you, then, so we can discuss this at a later time, when it is convenient for you?" he suggested as he reached into his pocket and pulled one out, handing it to Drew.

"Yeah, thanks," Drew said, hastily storing the card away for later. His eyes were in the crowd again, and he thought he caught a glimpse of Elijah's slick blonde hair. "Please excuse me."

* * *

><p>"There are so many people here..." May mused aloud as she squeezed through the crowd. "I hope, someday, this many people show up to my funeral."<p>

Harley and Solidad were on her tail as they moved through the poorly-formed line to pay their respects to the open casket. Harley cast a quick glance about the place—not so much the venue itself, with the stained glass windows depicting Arceus and Rayquaza and Groudon and Kyogre, among other Legendary Pokémon, stretching up the stony walls, but rather, the people.

"Actually, there were far more people than this who showed up to your funeral," he said. "It was combined with thirteen other people, but still."

May blinked, confused. Then it hit her what he was referring to.

"Oh," was all she could say.

The next few minutes were carried out in silence. They were getting closer to the coffin.

"You know, I kind of wish I could've met him," May spoke again. "I knew Drew didn't like him, but... I don't know, I feel like it would have helped me understand Drew better."

"You're not missing much," Solidad said frankly. "He was a despicable person."

May and Harley both looked at Solidad in surprise, before Harley chuckled and said, "Damn. The shade is real."

Solidad let out a short, nervous laugh, too.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's bad practice to speak poorly of people at their funerals."

The line moved, and it was now their turn at the casket. May felt her stomach begin to knot. She had seen imminent death in someone's eyes, in their face—but she had never seen a dead body. She wasn't sure which would be worse, but she was about to learn.

May was more unnerved than she was sad when she saw Chris's now-waxy face in the coffin. He almost didn't look human, and it was strange to think that at one time, he was. Solidad observed the scene solemnly, though her eyes were drawn to a peek of purple rising from beneath his shirt, up his neck.

"I didn't realize Drew looked so much like him," May breathed.

"Well, yeah, genetics," Harley mumbled. May ignored the comment, continuing to take in the scene. Then, she inhaled more sharply as her breathing suddenly and unexpectedly became more labored. She had to turn away, and Harley and Solidad looked at her in alarm.

"May, what's the matter?" Solidad asked, her voice full of concern as she laid a hand on May's shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry, I just-" May stopped short, shaking away the watery edge to her tone. "It's stupid, I know. But with how similar Drew and Chris look, it crossed my mind for a moment that this is probably what Drew would look like if he were... Anyway, it just freaked me out."

Solidad frowned and exchanged a quick, furtive glance with Harley before looking back at May.

"We should find Drew again," she said.

* * *

><p>Every time Drew thought he saw Elijah among the sea of people, he either slipped beneath the waves again, or Drew got caught in the current. Another flash of Elijah's yellowish eyes pulled Drew through yet another rapid—but as he was about to escape, a hand met his shoulder and pulled him back.<p>

"Pardon me?" a man inquired. "Would you happen to be Andrew Hayden?"

"_Drew_ Hayden, but yes," Drew said, irate.

"I'm Chase Eddrick." The man dropped his hand off Drew's shoulder and extended it toward him. "I just found out we're going to be partners now."

"... Partners?" Drew's arm didn't move.

"Mr. Eadward, your father's lawyer, just informed me you're the new CEO of the Battle Tower," Chase explained, withdrawing the invitation to shake hands. "Quite a shock, actually, since I had no idea your father had a son, and I was half-expecting that I-"

"-I don't have time for this." Drew turned toward the crowd again to continue looking for Elijah, but Chase was unwilling to relent.

"Wait, please, Mr. Hayden," he pleaded. "I was the chief executive of the Battle Tower—your father's right-hand man—and I was running it full-time in his absence."

"And I'm sure you did a really great job," Drew said wearily, facing him again. "And you'll continue to do a great job. In fact, it's all yours."

"W-What?" Chase stammered.

"The Battle Tower—it's all yours," Drew repeated. "You're the new CEO. Congratulations. Wait—" Drew paused. "—before I hand over my father's multi-million dollar business, I'd like for you to promise you'll invest more into buying better trophies for the winners of Battle Tower tournaments. I won last week and was very disappointed in my prize."

"I don't understand..."

"I don't either. Really, the Battle Tower might as well hand out macaroni that's been glued onto a paper and spraypainted gold if those little plastic trophies are the best it can do."

"You're really giving me the Battle Tower?" Chase was still in shock.

"Yup." Drew nodded.

"Can I get that in writing?" Chase pressed, suddenly becoming excited. "Can we meet with Mr. Eadward after the service to-"

"-Nope," Drew cut him off again. "We'll have to do it later. I have Mr. Eadward's number, so I'll figure it out when I get to it."

He quickly scuttled away before Chase could harass him further, annoyed that now he would have to rely on chance once more to find Elijah—but he was intercepted again, though this time it was by people he didn't mind seeing.

"Hey," May greeted with a crooked smile. "You okay? You look... mad."

"I'm fine," Drew brushed it off.

"What did that man want, anyway?" Solidad asked.

Drew opened his mouth to answer, but he quickly snapped it shut again, changing his mind.

"Nothing important," he said. Drew felt another hand on his shoulder, and irritation patterned across his face, believing it was Chase again. Yet, when he turned around, he found the very person he was looking for.

"I suggest you find a seat, Mr. Hayden," Elijah said. "The formal service is beginning in a few minutes."

"I need to talk to you," Drew told him, ignoring the suggestion.

"As do I." Elijah dropped his hand. "Later, though. I must deliver your father's eulogy, as he has no family members willing to perform the courtesy themselves."

_**June 18th, 2009. Late Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"So have you and Cilan gone over what you're going say in response to the questions you're going to get tonight?" Leaf asked, sitting beside Gary on the sofa in Iris's office. Iris was across from the couple, one leg folded over the other.

"We did, actually," Iris said, falsifying a cheerful tone. "The eight-page packet of questions and answers you gave us was extremely helpful."

"Was that sarcastic?"

"A little bit." Iris nodded.

"Well, at least I can say I had a far better night than you and Cilan," Gary laughed, and Leaf hit him. Iris made a face.

"You know, I'm going to have to wash those sheets when you guys leave," she grumbled. "Actually, truth be told, I probably would have ignored your packet if Cilan wasn't into it. Cilan prepares for things, I wing them."

"And I thank Arceus every day he matched you two up for that very reason," Leaf said.

The three trainers' heads turned to the door when there was a knock. Trip then slid inside without invitation—as if he needed it anyway—carrying a bulletin board in one hand.

"Hi, Trip," Iris greeted, confused. "I thought you were going to take Georgia's pictures today."

"I am," Trip said with a quick nod. "We're taking them here, outside the gym."

"Why?" Gary craned an eyebrow. "At the risk of offending Iris, the outside architecture of the gym is one of the creepiest I've ever seen."

"It is," Iris said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'm not offended."

Trip ignored their comment as he pulled up the bulletin board and held it upright on the coffee table separating Iris from Gary and Leaf. Iris slowly rose to her feet, more baffled than before, as her eyes scanned the board—a collection of newspaper articles Trip had either carefully cut out or printed from his computer.

"I need you to look at this," he said seriously.

"W-What is it?" Iris asked.

"These are all the articles I can find about recent Pokémon-on-trainer attacks in Unova," he explained. "There's been eighteen reported, starting with that Minccino in May. I bought the board yesterday and started compiling everything for you."

Gary stood up, too, as he gave the board a once-over.

"Dude, Trip, this is like serial-killer-type of behavior, except instead of compiling reports about girls, you're doing it with everyday occurrences," he half-laughed, flicking one of the cut-outs.

"This isn't funny, Gary," Trip argued. "The Minccino's trainer, the one who had the facial disfigurement, he died this morning."

"Chill out, Trip," Leaf said coolly. "That Minccino was a special case. Ritchie mentioned you were worrying about this, and I think he hit the nail on the head: The Minccino attacking his trainer brought awareness to Pokémon-on-trainer attacks, so now the media's reporting on it like it's a new thing."

"Yeah, he told me that too, and I believed him at first. But now I'm convinced something's up," Trip persisted. "The third attack, it was a Houndoom. It was taken from the trainer for study, but it escaped on the same day. Last week, there was an article with a girl talking about her Darumaka who had bitten her—" Trip pointed to the said article on the board. "—and she said he'd been acting weird since a battle against a Houndoom. I could have written it off as coincidence, and Ritchie convinced me to. Then, another report of an attack, a Zoroark this time, came out yesterday, and this trainer also talked about a Houndoom. I can't say it's a coincidence anymore."

Trip breathed out, taking a moment to regather himself. He'd been talking faster than usual.

"What I'm seeing here," Trip continued, "is increased aggression among Pokémon, for whatever reason. I'm not 100 percent sure all this is connected to the Minccino, but if it is... this could potentially be something that kills people, and it could cause Pokémon training as an institution to fall apart."

There was a change in Gary's expression, from one of doubt to intrigue—an unhappy kind, the one upon which fear is built. Iris looked nervous, too.

"Increased aggression... ?" Gary repeated.

"I still think it's a stretch," Leaf said, still doubtful.

"Wait, Leaf," Gary began carefully. "Maybe we shouldn't dismiss this so quickly."

"Hey." Georgia appeared in the doorway to the office, hand against her hip. "Are we doing this or what?"

"I told you to go to bathroom and get ready," Trip reminded.

"Did that. I'm ready now."

Trip huffed and glanced back at his other companions

"Look it over while I'm gone," he told them. Iris frowned, grasping the edge of the board to keep it upright as he left to follow Georgia.

"Will do..." she said, trailing off.

_**June 18th, 2009. Late Morning. La Rousse City.**_

It occurred to Drew halfway through the invocation how _strange_ it was that they were in a church—that his father's penultimate send-off would take place in something they never visited. His father, to his memory, was never particularly religious. Of all the things Drew was forced to study in his childhood, the legends of Pokémon and humans' creation—the stories of Arceus, of Mew, of every Legendary Pokémon—were not one of them. Most of what he knew now came from May, who was sitting beside him, her hand in his, and her head respectfully bowed. Her family had grown up on these legends.

"And these things we say and ask for in thy name, Arceus, our creator of the universe in which we live," the priest said conclusively, "amen."

A unified chorus of "amen" followed as the people in the congregation collectively raised their heads again. Elijah rose from his seat, pulling a neatly folded paper from his pocket—the eulogy.

"Good morning, my friends," Elijah began smoothly, though solemnly when he stepped to the podium. "My name is Elijah Colress. I met Christopher Rogers three years ago, not long after he had been diagnosed with cancer. A mutual friend introduced us, and we were drawn to each other immediately."

"Three years," Drew scoffed under his breath. "Yeah, 'old friend.'"

May cast him a quick glance, not entirely sure of what he had said, but she didn't inquire.

"A year later, he was in remission," Elijah continued. "And that is what I prefer to remember him by—his successes, and not his losses. We all know Chris was a very successful man. He brought to La Rousse—to Hoenn—the Battle Tower, a landmark adored by trainers everywhere, and it shall continue to be adored as it carries on in his memory. And every trainer, and every friend, and every family member, shall carry his memory in their hearts, too, for the kindness he bestowed upon us and the successes he enabled—whether it be a trainer taking home a trophy earned from the hard-fought battles in the Battle Tower, or myself for being able to pursue the truths I've always desired, or a two-time Top Coordinator son who shall create his own legacy far away in Unova-"

Drew breathed in sharply as a surge of both anger and sadness welled up inside him. All three of his companions immediately looked at him, and Drew clenched his jaw. How _dare_ Elijah attribute his successes to his father. The only people who could lay claim to having any hand in his victories were the ones sitting with him—that was where the anger rooted.

The sadness, he didn't know. He hadn't felt too upset up until then—and he didn't know what to make of it. Perhaps, Drew thought, he was only now realizing his father was gone, and that the world would only remember him as the kind of person Drew wished he would have been. He hadn't cried regarding his father's death yet, but now was the closest he had come thus far.

"Drew... ?" May asked quietly.

"I'm fine," he said quickly, rubbing each of his eyes with the heel of his palm.

He couldn't do it anymore. He tuned out the rest of the speech, focusing his energies in gripping May's hand.

_**June 18th, 2009. Late Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"Phillip, would you do me a favor and pass this chart out to your peers?" Cilan asked kindly, holding a stack of papers out to him. Phillip nodded as he took the stack.

"Sure thing, Professor Griffith," he said before moving among the rows of students, some of whom already had their Pokémon out and ready for the observation session. Class was still a few minutes away from beginning, and couple of students were still settling in—including Karina, who had walked in with a worried expression.

"Hi Karina," Phillip greeted as he held out one of the papers toward her. "Here's the personality chart we're using for today."

"Thanks..." Karina smiled crookedly before sitting.

"Hey, you okay?" Phillip asked. "You look kinda down."

"I'm all right," Karina replied. "I'm just frustrated with my Purrloin right now. I thought she might be a Relaxed nature, but now I'm not so sure. ... I'm really questioning if I was completely wrong about Purrloin all along, and if the worksheet I filled out last week is any good now. I just feel dumb."

"You're not dumb, Karina," Phillip assured her. "I'm sure you're just second-guessing yourself now, because that's what you always do."

"Yeah, I guess so..."

"If you're really worried though, I'd ask Professor Griffith and Ms. Myers about it," Phillip suggested. "Although, I'll bet they'll just say the same thing as me."

Karina smiled weakly.

"Okay, I'll ask," she said, nodding. "Thanks, Phillip." As Phillip went on his way, Karina rose up once more and approached Cilan and Burgundy at the front of the classroom.

"Professor Griffith? Ms. Myers?" she inquired shyly, getting their attention. "Can I ask a question?"

"Please do, Karina," Cilan said.

"Is it... possible for a Pokémon's Nature to change?" she asked.

"Hm..." Cilan tapped his finger against his chin. "An interesting question—it's something many Pokémon researchers have studied before, in fact. What do you think, Ms. Myers?"

Burgundy winced, but pursed her lips, thinking. She wanted to say something intelligible, something eloquent with both Cilan and Karina looking at her.

"... Does the basic nature of a human ever change?" she finally responded, beginning with another question. "It's true that we might act differently when we go through hard times but we're still who we are, even when rising above those hard times causes us to learn and grow and change. Pokémon are the same way, I think."

Cilan appeared deeply impressed by her answer.

"I would agree," he said, turning back to Karina. "A Pokémon's personality may evolve as they mature and gain experience but their Nature will always stay the same—much like how a Pokémon is still, at it heart, the same Pokémon when it evolves in the more literal sense. Why do you ask?"

"Well..." Karina's eyes fell to the ground. "The Pokémon I filled the worksheet out for last Thursday seems a lot different since then, and everything I wrote down doesn't seem relevant anymore..."

"Hm," Cilan hummed thoughtfully. "I doubt your Pokémon would undergo such dramatic changes in just a week, but... I'll take a look at your Pokémon when class begins, and we'll figure it out together."

"Okay!" Karina's expression brightened.

"Which Pokémon is yours again?" Cilan inquired.

"The Purrloin."

Cilan's lip twitched.

"You know what," he began, "I'll let Ms. Myers handle this one. Is that all right with you, Karina?"

"What?!" Burgundy gave him a disbelieving look.

"Of course it's okay!" Karina said. Cilan appeared relieved.

"All right," he said. "Go ahead and sit down and pull out your Pokémon. I'm getting class started now."

Karina nodded and did so as she returned to her seat. She pulled out her Pokéball and let out Purrloin, whom Burgundy immediately noticed appeared agitated. Karina pet Purrloin, attempting to calm her, but Purrloin kept fidgeting. It let out a hiss at a nearby Petilil, who cowered in response.

"Good morning," Cilan greeted the class cheerfully. "Today, we're going to put those worksheets you filled out about your Pokémon last week and our notes from Tuesday's lecture to good use. Each of you should have a blank personality chart, which you will-"

He was cut off by a sudden and loud yelp from Karina as her Purrloin turned and bit into her hand—_hard_. Karina tried to shake off her Pokémon, but to no avail. It was only when Burgundy hurried and tried to pull Purrloin away from Karina that the Dark-type let go. Purrloin took a swipe at Burgundy, missing, before leaping from her arms and running out the classroom door.

"Karina, are you all right?" Cilan asked worriedly as he hurried toward her, too.

"I-I'm fine," Karina insisted, though her eyes were watering. She was gripping her hand; Purrloin had drawn blood. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt class."

Cilan frowned.

"It's okay," he gently assured her. Cilan then reached into his pocket, pulling out a set of keys and holding them out to Burgundy. "Ms. Myers, please take Karina to my office. There's a first-aid kit in the the bottom-left drawer of my desk."

"Will do," Burgundy said, taking the keys. "Come on, Karina."

_**June 18th, 2009. Late Morning. La Rousse City.**_

For a summer day in Hoenn, May thought the weather was exceptionally beautiful. Normally, wearing a black dress any day of the year in the tropical region meant a lot of, well, sweat. But a gentle breeze was coming through the cemetery that morning, enough to keep May cool.

Most of the mourners had left at the end of the church service, though a sizable amount still went to see the casket lowered in the ground. But that had been fifteen minutes earlier, and now that sizable amount was almost nothing at all. A few mourners still lingered nearby chatting, and the gravekeepers stood beneath a large oak tree, waiting for the whole party to leave before they filled the hole.

Drew himself stood near the gravesite in front of said hole, though his eyes were on the headstone before him. It was a shared plot, his mother occupying the first half: Kara Hayden Rogers (May 22nd, 1963 - January 27th, 1991). The second now belonged to his father: Christopher Rogers (August 10th, 1960 - June 11th, 2009).

May petted a loose, windblown hair down as she began to approach Drew.

"Wonder who decided to put the 'loving father' bit?" May initially thought the question was directed toward her, until he added, "Was that you? Did you mean it ironically?"

May stopped and hung back a while longer, clasping her hands in front of her.

"I hope you know I'm mad at you. No, I'm not just mad—I'm pissed," Drew continued. "And the thing is, I thought I was going to be sad—I thought I was going to be upset today, now that it's finally setting in that you're dead—and I still am, a little bit. But mostly, I'm pissed. I _told_ you. I told you I didn't want it. Was making Elijah bring me here your last shot at trying to shape me into the kind of son you wished you had? The one who loved the Battle Tower as much as you and Mom?"

"Drew?" May finally decided to interrupt him, and he snapped his head toward her.

"Hey, May," he replied, his voice losing its strain.

"Are you all right?" she asked, wrapping an arm around his.

"I'm fine." Drew shrugged. "Just shouting at the ground, I guess."

"I've done that before."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." He smiled and shook his head. "I'm glad you came today."

"I wanted to."

"I've really missed you," Drew went on. "Three weeks is too long."

"I know," she said. "I've missed you a lot, too."

Their gazes remained silently locked for a moment longer before he dipped his head to kiss her, and she rose her head to meet his. Her arm moved, unraveling itself from his, as her hand traveled to his shoulder.

"Is this Mrs. Hayden?"

They broke apart, Drew briefly brushing his forehead against hers, lingering in the moment gone by. Then, with an annoyed expression, he looked back at Elijah, who had a placid smile and, undoubtedly, his hands neatly folded behind his back.

"Hi, Elijah," Drew greeted tersely, "and no, this is my girlfriend, May Maple."

"Ah, my apologies." Elijah came closer, extending a hand to May. "It's lovely to meet you, Ms. Maple."

"S-Same," May stammered, grasping his hand. "Are you... ?"

"The representative from SAMPLe who met with Iris Ajagara last month prior to the CIU?" he finished for her. "Indeed I am."

"Oh... Well, it's nice to see you again!" May smiled crookedly. Drew couldn't manage to offer the same grace, as he eyed Elijah warily.

"May, why don't you go find Solidad and Harley?" Drew suggested after a moment. "We need to leave for the airport soon."

May understood the hint, and she quickly stepped away.

"Right," she said, nodding. Drew carefully waited for her to be out of earshot until he spoke again.

"Why didn't you tell me my father called his lawyer the day he died?" Drew immediately got to the point.

"Because it was the day he died."

"A really disturbing coincidence, don't you think?" Drew questioned with a sharp, almost accusatory emphasis on the ending consonant. "Tell me, Elijah, was Ana crying this morning because she was sad my father had died, or because she had just found out that you had been booted off the will?"

"Please, Mr. Hayden, find your humanity," Elijah half-chastised. "Being a hospice nurse is a very painful job. There are no happy endings. The patients always die."

"Yeah, good luck convincing me that either Ana or Olivia cared one iota about my father," Drew scoffed.

"Did you?"

Drew mentally stumbled, though he didn't let it show. He merely allowed his and Elijah's gazes to connect, and he gave him a piercing stare. Elijah soon sighed.

"I will admit," Elijah began, "your father _did_ mislead us."

"Mhm," Drew hummed, unsurprised. "Go on."

"We were under the impression that he was prepared to leave the majority of his wealth to us."

"To SAMPLe, you mean," Drew corrected. There was no question; he already knew.

"Yes," Elijah affirmed. "For weeks, he had not approved the will. He set forth a condition—that he would sign it if he had the chance to see his only son one last time. We followed through on fulfilling his dying wish. Last Thursday, when he requested a private meeting with his lawyer... We believed he had finally signed the will, when in fact, he had changed it to make you the sole heir, simultaneously trampling over the many promises he made—not just to SAMPLe, but to numerous Battle Tower executives and household servants who believed they were getting their own share."

"You've said so yourself that you and my father were 'old friends,'" Drew pointed out. "Surely you must have known the kind of person he was? I did. Do you know why I left home eleven years ago?"

"I wasn't aware your father had a son."

"And that should tell you a lot," Drew said. "And it should tell you a lot, too, that you're the third person to say that today."

"I do believe your father was a good person still," Elijah persisted. "As betrayed as I and many others feel... It's hard to say what he did was ignoble, considering you are his son and the only family he has."

"There's no need to try to play the pity card on me." Drew resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I have no intention of keeping any of my new inheritance."

"You don't?" Elijah sounded genuinely surprised.

"No," Drew said. "I'm going back to Unova today, but in the future, I plan on sitting down with Mr. Eadward and divvying up everything I have in the way he originally intended it."

Elijah tightened his lips, perhaps unsure of how he should react.

"Well, that's very kind of you," he tacitly said.

"_Unless_, of course," Drew added sharply, suddenly, "I disapprove of where the money is going."

"Drew?" May called out to him, waving for him to follow. "We need to get back to the mansion for our luggage."

Drew nodded to her before looking back at Elijah.

"Thank you for the service," Drew said, trying to sound as genuine as possible, though he ended up still coming off as stiff. "It was really well-done."

"It was my pleasure," Elijah replied, "and thank you."

Drew left without a further word, jogging to catch up with May. When he did, he said, "I'm sorry about that,"

"Sorry about what?" May blinked.

"About him calling you 'Mrs. Hayden,'" he clarified. "I know that kind of thing embarrasses you."

"Oh that? I didn't mind that," she said, waving it off.

"... You didn't?" Drew stopped, giving her a strange look.

May stopped, too, her cheeks flushing pink. May looked down as her hands fidgeted with the end of her dress.

"Well, I mean..." she trailed off, flustered. "It was nice, the way it sounded. That's all."

She hurried ahead, but Drew stayed rooted to the spot where he stood, staring at her in mild disbelief. Then, he smirked.

_**June 18th, 2009. Late Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"So where are we headed?" Georgia asked as she walked with Trip outside the gym.

"Not sure yet," he answered, his eyes scanning the area. His camera was hung around his neck, and his hands were slid into his pockets. "Still trying to find a nice backdrop."

Georgia let out a long sigh.

"I knew it," she said drolly. "We didn't come here for nice photoshoot scenery, we came so you could turn in your elementary school project."

"Why do you care so much?" Trip grumbled.

"Because I would like to look good in these pictures."

"You will."

"In a place like this?" Georgia asked.

"I could put you in front of a dumpster, and my camera and I would still make you look good." He stopped, his eyes focusing on a large bolder nestled near some bushes. "Here, get on that rock."

"Are you serious?" Georgia glowered at him.

"Yes," he answered.

"Rock-type Pokémon aren't my specialty," she reminded.

"You don't _have_ a specialty."

"I do. Dragon Busting."

"So what, would you like a picture of you punching a Dragon-type?" Trip huffed, frustrated.

"Hm," Georgia hummed. "That would be pretty cool, actually."

"Get on the rock."

She shrugged and languidly moved toward the bolder, plopping down on top of it. She crossed one leg over the other and folded her arms.

"So what now?" she asked.

"You could try smiling and looking more relaxed," Trip suggested. She kept her deadpan expression, nor did she untangle her limbs. Trip sighed and asked, "Is your goal in life to make mine more difficult?"

Her lips curved into a smirk, which then bloomed into the most beautiful smile he had ever seen—and it caught Trip off guard.

"Sorry," she apologized with a laugh. "It's just funny, getting you riled up."

* * *

><p>Karina nursed her hand, wanting to ensure no blood spilled against the tile floor as Burgundy fumbled with the keys, trying to unlock Cilan's office. It was a peculiar scene for Ricard as he passed by, noticing the drops of blood pooling in the girl's healthy hand.<p>

"Now, now what happened here?" he asked, and Burgundy winced and let out a near-inaudible groan, pushing her forehead against the door. Of all times, why did he have to show up _now_? Karina merely stared at Ricard in bewilderment.

"Good morning, Professor Nouveau," Burgundy said, straightening up and facing him. "We had an accident in the classroom today."

"Under your supervision, I presume?" Ricard seemed amused by the idea.

"Certainly not under yours, _monsieur_," Burgundy said, turning the key and pushing the office door open with her hip. "Now if you'll excuse us."

She quickly ushered Karina inside and shut the door.

"Go ahead and sit down," Burgundy told her as she went to Cilan's desk. Karina nodded and sat down as Burgundy rummaged through his desk, pulling out the first-aid kit. She opened it and picked out a disinfectant, ripping the packet open. Karina breathed in sharply as Burgundy pressed the disposable wet cloth to Karina's bite wounds.

"So when did this behavior from your Purrloin begin?" Burgundy asked, trying to distract Karina from the pain.

"U-Um," Karina stammered, thinking. "Tuesday, actually. My Purrloin and I were going to get lunch, but on the way there, we ran into a... _really_ aggressive, mutant-like Houndoom. It went for me first, actually, but my Purrloin defended me using Fury Swipes... but then Houndoom used Crunch, and it was really brutal. A guy and his Zoroark had to save us, and even Zoroark was bitten too before he managed to chase off the Houndoom. The other trainer and I both had to take our Pokémon to the center, but even after getting treated, Purrloin had just been acting really weird... and now this..."

Burgundy frowned. She might have suggested Purrloin was simply upset because she was embarrassed she hadn't been able to defend her trainer on her own—but that hardly made sense, since Purrloin herself had attacked Karina in class.

"I'm really worried about Purrloin," Karina continued. "I don't know where she is now."

"Don't worry," Burgundy assured her, pulling the now-pink cloth away. "When we're finished here, I'll help you file a Runaway Pokémon Report."

Karina nodded, though she said nothing further for a while as she watched Burgundy dig into into the kit again, getting out a band-aid.

"... Why did he treat you like that?" she asked after a moment.

"Hm?" Burgundy intoned, looking up.

"That man out there, why did he treat you like that?" Karina repeated. "Was it a joke?"

Burgundy was at a loss for words. She looked away, thinking.

"Unfortunately not," she finally answered.

Karina stayed quiet.

Burgundy sucked in her breath and then asked, "Karina, you want to be an S-Class Connoisseuse someday, don't you?"

"Yes." Karina nodded.

"Would you mind if I offered you some advice then?"

"N... No?"

Burgundy pulled the band-aid out of its package and carefully applied it to Karina's injury. Then, she looked the young student straight in the eye and said, "I'm not telling you this as your teacher, but as a fellow female student. You'll find that by the time you're a B-Class, that the girls in your classes will stop advancing. You'll be outnumbered four to one when you become an A-Class, and then eight to one when you're applying to get in the S-Class program. It's an uphill battle, and there are some who won't make it. But people like you—girls with minds as bright as yours—you're going to pave the road for the rest of us."

Karina said nothing, considering Burgundy's words. Burgundy straightened up and put away the first-aid kit.

"Come on," she encouraged. "There's a place where we can report runaway Pokémon on campus."

* * *

><p>"This place is great," Abby breathed as Dawn led her into the main battle club arena, where the set-up for that evening's event was happening. Various staffers from both the CIU and the battle club were scuttling around, attending to various tasks in preparation.<p>

Dawn laughed, saying, "We sure are lucky Don George agreed to partner with us. Would you like me to introduce you to the other panelists?"

"Please do."

Dawn stopped, her eyes scanning the area—until they landed on Robert and Nando, who were standing off to the side of the field, chatting.

"Robert, Nando!" she called out to them, getting their attention. She then gestured for Abby to follow her as she approached the two men. "This is Dr. Abby, another panelist for tonight."

"Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you, Abby," Robert said, shaking her hand.

"It truly is," Nando added, doing the same. "It's not every day you meet a legend."

"I could say the same about both of you," Abby chuckled. "It's nice to meet you both in person." She turned an eye back toward Dawn. "Where are the other two?"

"Solidad and Harley, you mean?" Dawn asked. When Abby nodded, Dawn explained, "They're coming in with May and Drew from La Rousse. In fact, I bet they're getting on the plane about now."

"Why are Mr. Hayden and Ms. Maple in La Rousse?" Robert asked. "Aren't they on staff here? In fact, isn't Mr. Hayden in charge?"

"He is," Dawn clarified. "But, um, he's been in La Rousse for several weeks now. His father passed away last week, and his funeral was this morning."

"My, that's terrible!" Nando frowned. "He's so young, too."

"Right? He's only 22, I think," Abby mused.

"Will he be all right tonight, then?" Robert asked.

"Actually... I think he'll probably be in a lot better spirits than you might expect," Dawn admitted. "He and his father had a complicated relationship. They'd been estranged for half of Drew's life, and I think he mostly went to try to get closure. From what May has told me in the past couple weeks, he's been really eager to get back to Unova, and I think he'll be glad to be here tonight."

"Still," Robert said, "I'll have to be sure to offer my sympathies tonight."

Dawn heard Kenny calling her name; her help was needed for something. She smiled crookedly at the Top Coordinator before her and said, "Well, feel free to practice your appeals on the battlefield if you'd like. I'm needed elsewhere."

_**June 18th, 2009. Afternoon. In Flight.**_

"Aw, how sweet," Harley mockingly cooed. "She's already fallen asleep."

Drew's eyes lifted from his book as he shot Harley a glare from across the aisle. Between him and Harley, May—the subject of his questionably mean-spirited teases—laid peacefully against Drew's shoulder, unconscious. They were only a half-hour into their flight.

"Her flight left at 5 a.m. this morning, Harley," Solidad gently reminded. She sat on the other side of Drew, near the window. "She's had a long day already."

Harley pouted and grumbled something about her always ruining his fun. Drew closed his book, keeping his thumb inside as a bookmark.

"Solidad, how long have you known she was coming?" he asked curiously.

"Since last night," she answered. "She called me and asked, 'How mad do you think Drew would be if I just showed up tomorrow?' I told her you wouldn't be mad at all."

Drew's lips cracked into a smile as he looked back at May.

"Well, you were right." He leaned in to kiss her on her hairline. Harley made gagging noises, which Drew ignored.

"I hope you know," Solidad began anew, regaining Drew's attention, "that she loves you so much."

He quirked an eyebrow.

"I do know that," he said.

"_Chica_ almost cried today," Harley half-grumbled. "Saw your dad, and the very thought of losing you brought her to tears."

Drew stared at him for a while before looking at May again.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere."

Her hands were folded on her lap, left over right. He reached for the one on top, gently grasping it and running his thumb over her bare fingers—and it was only then, he realized, that something felt as though it were missing.

_**September 24th, 2007. Evening. Village of Dragons.**_

The Village of Dragons, Drew thought, was something he would expect to find in a folk tale, and not real life. Yet, there he stood in a grove of trees lit by white lanterns hanging from the branches, the sounds of a Hydreigon's roars echoing in the distance every so often. The wedding party seemed to pay little mind to this background noise however; it was a part of the reception's charm.

Drew was making his way through the crowd, having a specific destination in mind. He stopped momentarily to peek at the bride and groom, who were speaking with a pack of Napaj's Champions—Wallace, Cynthia, Alder, and the recently retired Lance. Cynthia's husband, Steven, as well as Wallace's wife, Winona, were also present. Drayden and the village matriarch, who appeared to be in the final leg of her life, were not far either.

Drew found the conglomeration of powerful figures at an otherwise small, private event interesting, to say the least, but he wasn't in the mood to pursue his suspicions—not when the newly married couple was glowing with an infectious happiness. Iris, especially, was radiant in her gold-embroidered wedding dress—but Drew would expect nothing less.

He moved on, toward an open bar set up underneath the glimmering canopy of a decorated tree, and was surprised to see a friend—Zoey—sitting alone.

"Hey," Drew greeted, sliding onto the seat beside her. She looked up at him and smirked.

"Hey, yourself," she said.

"Can I get you anything, sir?" the bartender approached Drew before his and Zoey's conversation could progress.

"Uh... Sure, what do you have?" Drew asked.

"Here's a menu right here," the bartender offered, holding a small laminated sheet of paper out to him. "We have a variety of wines and cocktails, and a few non-alcoholic options if you're underage or not drinking this evening."

"Right..." Drew's eyes scanned the list. "Could I get a glass of Merlot please?"

"ID?" the bartender inquired. Drew reached into his wallet and pulled out the requested identification, sliding it toward him. The bartender glanced at it and nodded before beginning to pour Drew his drink.

"So why aren't you with Candice?" Drew asked, returning his attention to Zoey.

"Why aren't you with May?" she threw back.

"Because she's with Max, and I'm with you," he replied coolly. "Did you and Candice have a fight?"

"I wouldn't call it a fight." Zoey shrugged. "By now, I really should know better than to take her to weddings. She starts whining mid-way through."

"I hope you're at least having fun," Drew sympathized with a chuckle.

"I'm tipsy, how can I not be?" Zoey jested with a wry smile, taking a sip of her drink just as the bartender delivered Drew his.

"Well, hopefully I'll be joining you on that train soon," Drew said, holding his glass out to toast her. After the edges of their glasses clinked together, Drew took a sip himself. They said nothing further for a while, as her gaze grew strangely distant. Drew followed her line of vision and realized she was watching Iris and Cilan.

"I guess I just didn't think I'd be at _this_ wedding at _this_ time," she mused aloud.

"Why?" Drew craned an eyebrow. "Sure, they only dated for a little over a year, but they spent, what, ten months engaged?"

Zoey burst out laughing, a product of her inebriation.

"That's not what I meant," she said.

"Then what did you mean?" he asked. Zoey muted her laughter, regathering herself.

"Drew..." she began in a more serious tone, though she still wore her amused smile. "_Everyone_ thought you and May would be first."

_**June 18th, 2009. Late Afternoon. Opelucid City.**_

"Testing, test, 1, 2, 3," Barry practically yelled into the microphone out of frustration. Luckily, no one's ear were hurt, because the sound didn't carry. Irritation crossed his expression. "Man, all five of these mics are duds! What the heck is going on..."

"It might help if you turned them on," Max pointed out, his arms folded. He stood in front of the long table, where five seats with five placecards with five microphones were set up. Barry blinked and lifted one of the mics, flicking the switch on.

"Testing, test." This time, it worked, and Barry glowered at Max. "Why didn'cha tell me earlier?"

"I wanted to see if you'd figure it out yourself." Max smirked, adjusting his glasses. "You didn't."

"Hey, watch yourself," Barry warned. "Just because your May's younger brother does not make you immune to fines."

"Be nice, Max," Caroline gently chastised.

"Just joking around, Mom," Max sighed.

"I'm not," Barry whined.

"Barry isn't that good at taking jokes, but he's all right at making them," Kenny laughed, coming up behind Max and Caroline.

"I'll fine you too, Kenny," Barry grumbled.

"Kenny, it's so nice to see you again," Caroline said kindly. "How are you doing?"

"I'm all right, Mrs. Maple, thanks," Kenny replied. "Zoey told me you guys were coming here to surprise May."

"Yeah, too bad May isn't, you know, here," Max said dryly.

"Actually, Zoey left to pick her and the others up from the airport like 20 minutes ago," Kenny explained, "so I imagine they'll be here-"

"-Soon?" Drew finished for him, with May, Solidad, and Harley in tow. May's face lit up upon seeing her mother and sibling, and she quickly hurried to embrace both.

"You guys!" she exclaimed, delighted. "I had _no idea_ you were coming."

"Yeah, that's kind of the point of surprises," Max sassed.

May was too happy to get angry, so she ruffled his hair and asked, "Is Dad here, too?"

"Would you be upset if he wasn't?" Max asked.

"Um... No?" May wasn't sure how to answer.

"Nah, I'm totally kidding!" Max grinned. "He's here. He went to help Kelly carry some boxes of Pokéblock from her car."

"Really?!" May asked, even more excited than before.

"Really, really," Norman answered from behind her. May sucked in her breath and spun around to see him.

"Daddy!" She embraced him, too, and he kissed her on top of her head.

Drew stood by quietly, though he allowed a gentle smile to grow in his expression. Solidad cast him a careful look, mouthing the words, "Are you okay?" He nodded in response. Norman noticed Drew's somewhat solemn aura as he broke away from his daughter.

"Good afternoon, Drew," Norman greeted.

"Afternoon, Norman," Drew tacitly replied.

"How are you doing?" Norman asked.

"Oh, that's right!" Caroline jumped into the conversation. "We heard all about it Drew. I'm so sorry."

"As am I," Robert added as he approached with both Abby and Nando. "I lost my father several years ago, and I extend my sincerest condolences to you."

Drew was taken aback by all the attention, but he quickly shook it off, saying, "Thank you all—but really, I'm fine. I'm glad to be back here."

"If you need anything, please know that we're here for you," Caroline offered. "You're practically a part of the family."

Drew pursed his lips, and May smiled.

"Thank you, Caroline," he said. He let out a breath, deciding he wanted to change the subject. "So what's the time here?"

Abby pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket

"Ten minutes 'till five," she said.

"So we've got just a little over an hour until our doors open," Zoey mused.

"In that case, you'll have to excuse me," Robert said. "I must continue refining my appeal."

Once he was out of earshot, Harley folded his arms and scoffed, "What a prick." A wicked grin spread across his face as he exchanged a look with Solidad. "I'm gonna get his number."

* * *

><p>"Are you almost ready?" Cilan asked kindly as he walked into Iris's office. "The doors have just opened."<p>

"Yeah!" Iris answered cheerfully as she rounded her desk. "I just came to get one thing."

She opened one of the drawers and pulled out the jewelry box Diantha had sent more than a month earlier. The envelope containing the card that came with it was still unopened and unread. Iris had nearly forgotten about the gift, because she'd had no reason to wear jewelry of any kind with her not leaving the gym—until tonight. She pulled the pendant from its resting place and carefully slipped it around her neck.

"How are you feeling about everything?" Cilan asked after a moment.

"Excited but nervous," Iris answered, struggling to close the clasp. "I'm so glad I'm finally leaving this gym."

Cilan nodded before his eyes were drawn to a bulletin board leaning up against her desk.

"What's this?" he asked, moving to get a closer look.

"Oh..." Iris trailed off. "Trip brought that in earlier. He's been compiling some recent articles about Pokémon-on-trainer attacks in Unova. Leaf is doubtful it's a big deal, but I'd like to look into it more—which I can now do, since I have my independence again."

Iris let on a satisfied smile when she successfully hooked the two ends of the silver chain. Cilan smiled, too, as he extended a hand toward her.

"Come on," he urged, "Leaf and the others are waiting for us."

* * *

><p>"Hey you two," May greeted as slipped around the front counter that was normally manned by the battle club receptionists; tonight, however, it was the place to purchase wristbands for the CIU's Q&amp;A event. "How's it going?"<p>

Savannah and her daughter, Sandra, both looked up from their posts and smiled.

"_Really_ well," Sandra answered. "We've gone through several whole boxes!"

"It has started to slow down, though," Savannah added. "I think that's to be expected, though—the doors have been open for close to forty minutes now. Is the show starting soon?"

"Yeah, I think so. It was advertised as starting at 7:00 p.m.," May answered. "It depends on whether we have enough questions submitted yet, and Drew went to check that out."

"How is that working?" Sandra asked.

"Oh, it's simple enough," May said with a wave of her hand. "Dawn, Kenny, and Barry have been running a booth taking questions outside the main battle hall, next to where Kelly is selling things and trying to collect donations. They're also advertising for the special contest in July, I think."

"Do we know how much we've made so far?" Savannah asked.

"Hm... No idea..." May pressed a finger to her chin, thinking. "I think Tim said it would take a day or two to figure out how much profit we made."

"Hopefully a lot!" Sandra laughed.

"Thanks to people like you," May said kindly. "Really, it was sweet of you to volunteer to help your mom sell wristbands."

"Oh, it's no big deal," Sandra brushed it off. "I was just glad she let me come out here for the weekend."

"It has been nice to spend time together," Savannah added.

"Still, anything I can do for you?" May asked.

"Actually, would you mind taking over for a couple minutes? I've had to use the bathroom for a little while now," Sandra admitted.

"Sure! Go ahead!" May nodded.

Sandra appeared relieved, thanking her before she left. May took her place, reaching beneath the counter to pull out another box of wristbands. She dug her nail into the tape, managing to rip it off and open the box. As she did, May could see a couple entering the battle club from the corner of her eye.

"Hi, how can we help you?" May asked as she pulled a stack of wristbands out.

"Hello, May."

May snapped her head up to see the couple was, in fact, Wallace and Winona. She cast a quick sideways at Savannah, whose eyes were wide with awe that the Hoenn Champion stood before her.

"Hi!" May greeted, surprised. "Wow, I didn't know you two were coming!"

"It was a chance to support both my cousin and contests," Wallace explained with a chuckle. "I also have some league-related business out here in Unova, so the decision to come was obvious."

"Well, we're glad to have you." May ripped off two wristbands from the sheet and held them out to them. "Wristbands are on me."

"That's kind of you, but I insist," Wallace said, pulling out a $100 bill from his wallet and sliding it toward her. "Keep the change. Consider it a donation to the CIU."

May let out a long breath and smiled.

"Thank you, Wallace. Really," she said as she slipped the bill into the money box. She then handed them the wristbands. "The main battle hall is to your left. There'll be someone at the door who checks your wristband, and you'll need it to go in and out, if you need to visit the restroom or something."

"Noted," Wallace said as he slid the wristband on.

"It was nice seeing you again, May," Winona added with a knowing smile. "I hope we end up seeing each other much, much more."

"I do, too!" May exclaimed. "Enjoy the show!"

* * *

><p>"Hmm..." Bonnie hummed to herself, tapping a CIU pen against her temple as she stared down at the sliver of paper before her, upon which she had written her name and hometown. "Oh! I think I might have one. One of the panelists... she's a Pokémon Doctor, right?"<p>

"Abby?" Dawn inquired. When Bonnie nodded, Dawn continued, "Yes. She runs her own clinic in Hoenn."

"Okay!" Bonnie grinned before she pressed the tip of her pen to the paper again. "I think I've got a good question, then—a nice, smart one!" She then handed the sheet to Dawn, asking, "What do you think?"

Dawn's eyes scanned the sheet, and Barry and Kenny both looked over her shoulder, too.

"It is really good, actually!" Dawn laughed. "I think I'm going to add this to the pile of ones we wants the panelists to answer tonight."

"Really?" Bonnie perked up.

"Yeah." Dawn nodded, putting it into a basket.

"What did it say, Bonnie?" Serena asked.

"You're just gonna have to wait and see!" Bonnie teased.

"I bet it'll be great!" Ash exclaimed, with Pikachu hanging off his shoulder as he held up his own blank strip of paper and pen. He then frowned, saying, "Eh... I don't think I have anything, though, so I'll pass this time," before he returned the pen to Kenny.

"Me too," Misty said, also handing Kenny back a pen she had used. "I think you guys have plenty anyway."

"I'd certainly hope so," Drew said as he swept by the table. "Are you guys almost ready?"

"We have all the questions we've gotten so far sorted, so yes!" Dawn answered.

"Is there a fair balance of questions for each panelist?"

"Yup!" Barry nodded as he held up a notepad. "I kept track on this sheet of paper, see?"

"Good," Drew said, reaching for the basket. "Would you mind if I took this to Grace then? She's going to get the appeals started in a couple minutes, and it'd be great if we have these ready to go immediately afterward."

"Go ahead," Kenny told him. "We'll clean up here."

"Thank you."

"Hey," Ritchie greeted Drew once a space in the conversation opened up. "It's great to see you again."

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "How're you doing? May said earlier that your Dad's funeral was this morning..."

"I'm fine," Drew hastily brushed it off. "Thank you for your concern, though."

"Oh, you must be Drew, then!" Serena said with a light of realization in here eyes. "We arrived in Unova the day you left."

"Which means you're probably one of Ash's Kalosian friends," Drew deduced. "Serena, I'm guessing."

"That's right!"

"So... then you must be Clemont and Bonnie," Drew said, turning toward the two blonde siblings.

"Not bad," Clemont marveled.

"May talked about you, so it isn't too hard to guess who's who." Drew shrugged. "All good things, of course. Anyway, would like to talk more, but I can't. I've got to tell Grace to get things started."

"Ah!" Ash suddenly waved his hands. "That means we should find Gary! I was texting him earlier, and he said we should sit with him and the others!" He grabbed Misty's arm, pulling her toward the door. "Come on, let's go!"

* * *

><p>"Well, this is where we part ways," Trip announced when they reached the first set of stairs leading up to several rows of seating. Iris glanced back at him, confused.<p>

"Part ways?" she inquired.

"I'm going to go ask Zoey to let me into the area they have roped off for the press, where I can get a nice angle on you," Trip explained.

"You're taking pictures tonight?"

"Why else would I have my camera?" Trip pointed to the lens hanging around his neck.

"Don't worry about that," Iris dismissed. "Just enjoy the panel."

"This is your return to the public eye." Trip stayed firm. "I need stock."

"He's right, Iris," Cilan calmly interjected.

Iris frowned, but gave in with a sigh, saying, "All right." She turned to head up the stairs when Trip grabbed her wrist, urging her to lean closer.

"Sit next to Georgia—between her and Cilan, if you can," he told her in a low voice. "I need it for tomorrow."

"I know," Iris said, speaking at a normal decibel as she pulled back. "Leaf already talked to me about it."

She pulled her hand away and promptly caught up with Georgia and Cilan. Cilan tenderly put a hand around her waist, almost protectively—as if he could sense the presence that would soon arrive.

"What was that about?" Georgia asked.

"Nothing," Iris mumbled. "Come on, you're sitting next to me."

Georgia craned an eyebrow but shrugged.

"Whatever's clever," she said.

"Ms. Ajagara!" Iris stopped again when she heard her name called, and she turned around to see a young woman approaching, pen and pad of paper in hand and camera around her neck—dead giveaways for what she wanted. "Hello, my name is Ciara Skelley from Coordinators Weekly. I'm reporting on this event for the magazine."

"If you're from Coordinators Weekly, shouldn't you be talking to a coordinator?" Iris asked wryly.

"This is your first public appearance since the assassination attempt in May," Ciara pressed on, ignoring the question. "Are you at all nervous to be here?"

"No," Iris answered simply. "I'm happy to be here, actually, and I'm happy to be supporting the CIU."

"Well, that you support the CIU is obvious," Ciara said. "Some sources say you made a generous donation to the CIU. Can you confirm?"

"Yes, I did donate to the CIU, but if you want the exact amount, you'll have to file a formal request through the Unova League," Iris answered flatly, reciting almost perfectly the line Leaf had written for her.

"Enough about the CIU. Let's get back to you." Ciara tried to pivot the direction of the conversation. "It came out three weeks ago that you're pregnant, after a fainting mishap that landed you in the hospital. Could you tell us more about that day?"

"Tonight isn't about me, it's about the CIU," Iris dodged the question.

"Mr. Griffith, are you excited to be a father?" Ciara turned to him next. Before, he could answer, however, Zoey appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ciara," she called out to her. "If you want your media pass to be validated and for the cost of your wristband to be reimbursed, I suggest you come back now."

"Will do, Zoey," Ciara yelled back before returning her gaze to the couple. "It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Same..." Iris trailed off as she watched Ciara leave. She then sighed, "Well, that wasn't so bad."

"A nice job, Iris," Leaf commended.

"I agree." Iris breathed in sharply, recognizing the voice. She turned to her left, noticing that Wallace and Winona were sitting nearby; they hadn't noticed them on their ascent. The rest of the group looked equally surprised the couple from Hoenn was there, too. Wallace continued, "You handled yourself quite well."

"Thank you," Iris said, still taken aback. "Hi, Wallace, Winona. What are you doing here in Unova?"

"We wanted to support the CIU, of course," Winona answered lightly.

"I also have other business to conduct here," Wallace added. He cast Leaf a quick glance, and her lips tightened. Gary raised his eyebrows, noticing the exchange between his girlfriend and the Hoenn Champion. Paul saw it, too, and he appeared suspicious.

"Other business?" he mumbled.

* * *

><p>"You know, there is something called freedom of the press," Ciara said snidely when Zoey let her back into the press area, where all the reporters and photographers—Trip included—stood.<p>

"I know," Zoey replied coolly. "I have my journalism degree, too. I just prefer you not harass a nice couple who came to enjoy this event."

Ciara pursed her lips, annoyed.

"You know, Zoey, I still have that story saved on my hard drive," she reminded her. "And since you're no longer an applicant at Coordinators Weekly, there's no longer a conflict of interest. I could bring that story back to my editor, except this time, she would actually run it."

Zoey laughed.

"It's cute that you think I'm afraid of you or anything you have to say about me," she said.

"Sure, you're not afraid," Ciara said, shrugging. "But what about your 'roommate'? How would she feel about it?"

Trip lifted his eyes toward the two women, picking up on snippets of their conversation.

"Awesome, probably," Zoey replied dryly.

"Are you sure?" Ciara taunted. "You saw what happened to your friend, Barry, didn't you?"

"Is there a problem here?" Trip stepped in.

The lights dimmed. Grace appeared beneath a spotlight, holding a microphone close to her.

"Not at all," Ciara said.

* * *

><p>"<em>Good evening everyone, and welcome to the Contests in Unova Top Coordinator Panel Kick-Off!<em>" Grace announced with vigor, to some cheers from the crowd. "_My name is Grace Everett, and I'm the 2003 Hoenn Top Coordinator, and I'm on staff here at the CIU. I'll be your emcee for the evening!_"

"Man, it's starting!" Ash said in a desperate whisper, freezing where he stood to scan the crowd. "I have _no_ idea where Gary and the others are..."

"Try texting him," Ritchie suggested.

"Oh, yeah!" Pikachu climbed down Ash's arm and pulled out his trainer's cell phone, handing it to him. Ash grinned and thanked him before turning it on to scroll through his contacts.

"How about you let me text him, since you're the slowest texter in the world," Misty said, pulling out her own phone, typing a quick message, and sending it before Ash had a chance to complain. Not long after, she received a message back.

"They're on the left side, third column, near the top," she informed the rest of the group, leading the way. They quickly and quietly shuffled along, trying to find them—and they did, once they were waved down by Gary.

Ash grinned, trotting up the stairs to meet him.

"Hey guys," he greeted in a low, though excited voice.

"Glad you all could make it," Cilan said.

"_We're beginning the night with a special showcase of appeals, which in the contest world is a chance for coordinators to show off their Pokémon's abilities in unique and beautiful ways before an audience,_" Grace went on. "_Our guests tonight are some of the best and most talented in the business—Top Coordinators, trainers that have earned five contest ribbons and entered and won a Grand Festival, competing against hundreds of other coordinators._

"_Our first guest is Robert Schemmel, a four-time Top Coordinator that hails from Silver Rock Isle in Johto. He's well-known for being one of the most accomplished Top Coordinators in history, having the third-most title wins since coordinating's conception in Hoenn in 1969. So, without further adieu, here's Robert!_"

The spotlight tuned to him, and he looked toward his audience with a germane smile—which drew some buzz**—**before he called out his first Pokémon.

_"Milotic, take the stage!_" He had chosen to use a Bubble Seal for this performance, and Milotic emerged surrounded in a light blue foam that quickly drifted away, leaving Milotic the center of attention. "_First, use Water Pulse._"

A ring of water formed around Milotic and rose into a wall. It was then that Robert said, "_Now, use Ice Beam._" Milotic lifted its head and quickly froze the ring surrounding it, encasing itself in a glossy cage of ice. "_Safeguard, Milotic._" Through the ice, the audience could see Milotic begin to glow a mysterious, sea foam green, which cast its light across the entire battle hall.

"That's beautiful," Serena said in awe.

"It looks like a lantern," Gary remarked. "An ice lantern."

Georgia smirked, adding, "My new favorite kind of lantern."

"_Finally, use Aqua Tail!_"

With one fell swoop, Milotic shattered its glass prison, causing a rain of tiny, shimmering ice crystal to fall to the field. The audience erupted into an applause, and Robert bowed before recalling his Pokémon and taking his marked seat at the panelist table.

* * *

><p>The appeals had finished and the panel had begun by the time Dawn crept back into the main hall with Barry and Kenny, having finished cleaning up the booth where they had accepted questions. They found May and Drew sitting with May's family in one of the front rows, where much of the rest of the CIU staff was also situated, and Dawn slid into an open space next to Drew.<p>

"How's it been so far?" she asked in a whisper.

"Great," Drew answered. "May has the appeals recorded on her phone if you want to see them later."

"Oh, for sure."

"_Nando, this question for you, from Ellie Parks, Age 17, of Accumula Town,_" Grace said after pulling one of the folded sheets of paper from the basket Drew had delivered to her. "_Nando, you're well-known for not only your skills as a coordinator, but as competitive trainer. You've won both a Grand Festival and a League Conference. How do you balance participating in both trainer classes, and would you recommend competitive trainers give coordinating a try?_"

"_That's an excellent question,_" Nando mused. "_I will admit, it can be difficult at times to keep up with both contests and gym battles. I have to carefully plan where I'm traveling to make the most of my time, so I may earn both my five ribbons and my eight gym badges. There are a few times I have cut it close on both fronts, thinking I would miss the Grand Festival or the League Conference, but things always ended up working out one way or another. It is a lot of work, but it has been more than worth it for me, so of course I would encourage competitive trainers interested in coordinating to enter a contest. There are things you learn from the contest world that you cannot from the Pokemon League Challenge, and vice versa._"

"_Thank you, Nando._" Grace reached into the basket again. "_This next question is for all five of you, and it comes from James Coleson, age 15, of Mistralton City: What is your favorite contest-related memory? Harley, let's start with you._"

"_Oh no,_" Solidad half-groaned, her microphone picking up the remark.

"_What?_" Harley glowered at her.

"_Please keep it PG,_" she said, eliciting some chuckles from the crowd.

Harley smirked.

"_I can't make any promises,_" he said, which drew more laughter. "_Actually, yes I can, my favorite memory is back from when I was 10, before I was..._"

"_Perverse?_" Robert suggested.

"_That's one way of putting it,_" Harley grumbled. "_But really, my favorite memory actually comes from the first contest I ever entered: Slateport City, 1991. My Cacnea and I showed up to the contest hall, and I was dressed up in the Cacnea costume I'd made a week earlier, and I had a plate of cookies, and I was ready to make friends—because that's how you make friends. Cookies and costumes._" The comment again drew laughter, causing Harley to glare. "_Why are you laughing? Do you think I'm kidding?_"

"_We know you're not,_" Solidad said lightly.

"_Da-rn straight I'm not._" Harley caught himself before he could swear. "_Anyway, these kids I knew from school came up to me, and they started making fun of me and my cookies—and that's just unforgivable. Then Solidad here—_" He gestured to her. "_—shows up, trying to tell them off. So they turned on her and started to make fun of her, too, because of her Slowpoke. So she challenged the ringleader to a battle, and he scoffed and was so cocky, because how could a coordinator, a girl coordinator with a dumb Slowpoke no less, beat him?_" He paused for dramatic effect. "_She wiped the floor with him._"

Harley's embellishment worked, because the audience burst into cheers—and even Nando, Robert, and Abby laughed and clapped, too. Solidad flushed pink, pressing a hand to her face.

"I didn't know that was how they met," May gushed, clapping along with everyone else. "No wonder they're friends."

"_That day, that moment was satisfying, that I wasn't even too upset when I lost the contest,_" Harley continued when the applause died down. "_And Solidad and I have been best friends and rivals now for 18 years._"

A few coos from the audience followed, and Solidad lifted her head again with a flustered smile.

"_That was a good day,_" she conceded. "_It's... fun to show up bullies, to say the least._"

"_So what's your favorite memory, Solidad?_" Grace asked.

"_You can't picking meeting me now, that's cheating,_" Harley said.

"_Most of my memories involving you are colorful and will last a lifetime, but I'm not sure if they're my favorite,_" Solidad teased.

"_You should write a book,_" Abby suggested with a laugh.

"_I really should,_" Solidad agreed.

"_'Harley and Solidad's Perverse Adventures,'_" Harley added.

"_I think a more accurate title might be, 'Harley's Perverse Adventures and the Times Solidad Got Dragged Into Them,'_" Solidad corrected lightheartedly. More laughter. "_But, really, my favorite memory involves another coordinator, a staffer on the CIU actually. A lot of you have probably heard of him, in fact: Drew Hayden?_"

The laughs turned to feverish screams, and now it was Drew's turn to get embarrassed. He also buried his face in a hand, and Chaz chortled and gave him a hearty slap on the back from behind.

"_Lot of shouts from the ladies in the crowd,_" Abby said, grinning. "_A few men, too._"

"_Mr. Hayden's good looks and talents apparently extends his popularity as far as Unova,_" Nando remarked with an amused smile.

"_I'm probably really embarrassing him right now,_" Solidad realized, chuckling.

"_Do you care, though?_" Harley asked.

"_No,_" Solidad answered shortly, shaking her head. "_Anyway, my favorite memory—it happened about six years ago, when I was in my early 20s and Drew was still a teenager. It was at the 2003 Johto Grand Festival, which he won, beating his rival and another friend of mine, May Maple. When he stood on stage, though, and received that Ribbon Cup and the Top Coordinator title, I could really feel myself starting to get emotional. I don't think I'd ever been prouder in my life, because I had met Drew at his first contest, and over the years, I had watched him just bloom into a talented young man, and his hard work was finally paying off._"

"_Your favorite memory is of someone else winning the Grand Festival and not you?_" Robert asked.

"_Well, me winning the Grand Festival was nice, too,_" Solidad admitted with a laugh, and the audience joined her.

"This is going better than I could have imagined," Dawn breathed before grinning at Drew, who was still recovering. "They're warm, they're funny, and they're definitely talking up contests for us."

"Yeah..." Drew lifted his head, offering her a weak smile in return. "And it's thanks to you for getting them here."

"Stop." Dawn pushed his shoulder.

"I'm serious. Tonight is yours," Drew persisted. "We owe it to you."

Dawn shyly pushed some of her hair out of her face.

"Well, thank you." She paused, looking toward the doors. "I'm going to go check on Kelly and the other people still in the hall."

She rose up and headed toward the entrance, ducking her head slightly as she did—yet, when she opened the doors, she found herself facing someone she would not have expected to see that evening: Paul, with a bottle of water in his hand.

"Hi," she said shortly, quickly. It was the first thing to come to her mind, and it was the first thing she had said to him in weeks.

"Hey," Paul replied, much less jumpy. He wasn't moving on, as Dawn had half-hoped he would—the other part of her didn't want him to go just yet, and she didn't know why. She nervously rubbed her hands together, trying to to think of something else to say.

"Have you enjoyed tonight so far?" she asked.

"You've done a nice job," he answered plainly. She inhaled, but she wasn't sure what to do with the extra air.

"Thank you," she said. He inclined his head, his dark eyes giving her a once-over.

"Did you get a hair cut?" he asked.

Dawn blinked, unconsciously raising a hand to touch one of her shortened locks.

"Um, yeah..." she said. She couldn't do it anymore. "I... I have to go." She quickly brushed past him, and he watched her before shaking his head and going on. Dawn immediately went to the first booth she could find, wanting to quickly move past the encounter, too.

"Hey, Kelly," Dawn greeted, stopping by her table. "How's everything going for you?"

"Fine," Kelly tacitly answered, looking up from her phone. "Just keeping an eye on the merchandise. I've been hearing what's going on in the battle hall from here, though, and it sounds great."

"It is." Dawn nodded. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Mmm... I think I'm good," Kelly said, but she quickly changed her mind. "No, wait! I accidentally left that box of, like, 900 extra pens to sell in my car. I can't leave the table unattended, so would you mind getting them?"

"Oh, sure!" Dawn said, and Kelly reached into her pocket to give her the car keys.

* * *

><p>"You know, people are going to figure out you and Dawn are broken up if you act this strangely around her in public," Leaf said when Paul sat down with her and Gary again.<p>

"People are more likely to figure it out if you talk about it in public," Paul grumbled, unscrewing the cap to his water bottle and taking a drink.

"Hey, I'm just saying," Leaf persisted. "I know you didn't want it to be a public thing."

"It's going to be, eventually. Isn't that what you said?" Paul wiped his mouth, as Leaf watched him silently. Then, he suddenly added, "I'm leaving."

"What? Why?" Ash cast Paul a confused look as he stood up.

"I just decided I didn't want to be here anymore," Paul replied, beginning to head back down the stairs.

"Paul..." Iris began with a sigh, but he was already gone. She frowned and looked toward Cilan, saying, "I'm going to talk to him."

"It's probably better you just leave it be, Iris," Ritchie told her.

"I agree," Cilan said. "It's not much use talking to Paul unless he's receptive, and I don't think he's in the mood."

"He hasn't been lately," Iris argued back.

"That is true..." Cilan conceded.

"Don't worry yourselves," Leaf warded them off. "I'll take care of it later."

Iris pouted, folding her arms and letting out a sigh. She drummed her fingers against her skin for a while before an idea occurred to her.

"Well, I have to go to the bathroom anyway," Iris said quickly, standing up.

"All right," Cilan bought it. "Take someone with you."

"I don't need someone to babysit me," Iris defended, rolling her eyes. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

She quickly ambled down the steps and out the door, passing by the press area as she did. Ciara noticed her leaving and cast a quick glance at Zoey to confirm she wasn't paying attention before she slipped beneath the rope.

* * *

><p>Dawn struggled to balance the box of pens now in her arms and the set of keys in her right hand as she pushed the car door closed with her hip and tried to lock it. The darkness of night had fallen, and the yellow, flickering streetlights were the only thing that lit the parking lot—dimly so, making Dawn's job all the more difficult.<p>

Frustrated, she finally set the box down, locked the car, and picked the box back up. She lifted her knee to help herself get a better grip before beginning her trip back to the battle club. Yet, on the way, she thought she heard a low, dangerous growl. Dawn stopped and quickly looked around, trying to find the source of the noise—but she saw nothing.

Unnerved, but figuring it must have been in her head, she continued on her way. Then, she heard the warning rumble again. Dawn didn't stop this time, quickening her pace, thought she still cast her eyes about the area. Then, a nearby set of bushes rustled, and Dawn's gaze connected with that of a creature she couldn't identify in the poor lighting.

Dawn froze, unsure of what to do as the creature—presumably a Pokémon—stared her down with its strangely colored eyes and snarled at her with pearly white teeth. She weighed her options; this was not the first time she had encountered an aggressive wild Pokémon, but no matter how many times she faced this situation, it became no less scary. Running was out of the question. She learned long ago that only prompted a chase. Try to escape the situation, in general, was not going to work, because she and the creature had locked eyes, an invitation to battle.

Battling was another option, but her Pokéballs were in her purse, and that required a lot of movement and vulnerability, considering she had a giant box in her hands and couldn't discreetly reach for one of her Pokémon. That left one choice: To try to talk it down from a fight.

"Hey there," Dawn said, trying to sound friendly. "I'm not going to hurt you. In fact, if you come out and let me see you, I'll give you some extra food in my bag."

Without warning, the Pokémon leapt from its place of hiding with an atrocious roar, and Dawn gasped before diving out of the way. The box of pens fell, its contents scattering, while Dawn's hands scrapped against the pavement. She flipped on her side to get a look at her attacker: A Houndoom. Yet, this Houndoom didn't look quite like any other Houndoom she had seen before. A horn was missing, and she could see its fur was mangy and falling out in patches across its body. Its teeth, however, were still in perfect condition.

Dawn's mind was racing—Houndoom; Fire-type; weak against Water; Piplup—and she knew she had no other choice but to fight. She ripped open her purse and dug around, trying to find Piplup's Pokéball.

"Piplup, Hydro Pump!" she called out in desperation when she finally found him. Piplup immediately understood the situation was dangerous when he emerged, and he unleashed a powerful blast of water at Houndoom, which he jumped to avoid. In the meantime, Dawn pushed herself back onto her knees, her palms stinging.

The Houndoom growled against and jumped at Piplup, baring its teeth. Piplup panicked and covered his head with his flippers—but Houndoom's fangs never sunk into him.

"Torterra, Frenzy Plant!" A set of thick, thorned tendrils wrapped around Houndoom's limbs and slammed him into the ground. The tendrils unraveled, revealing Paul and his Torterra as Dawn and Piplup's rescuers. He brusquely strode toward Dawn, grasping her arm and helping her stand the rest of the way.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah." Dawn nodded. "I was just caught off guard..."

While they spoke, the Houndoom—which both thought surely must have been knocked out cold—staggered to its feet without them noticing, and it turned on Torterra. Torterra narrowed its gaze, but it was helpless to move, as it was still recovering from using Frenzy Plant. Thus, Houndoom was able to attack Torterra without retaliation, and it sunk its teeth into Torterra's neck in a powerful Crunch attack.

Both Paul and Dawn spun around when they heard Torterra cry out in pain.

"Shake it off, Torterra!" Paul ordered. Torterra tried to do so, but Houndoom had a firm lock, and his head was positioned between the stony spike on the side of Torterra's head and his shell, giving the Houndoom a stability that allowed him to stay latched on. Suddenly, Dawn heard a sickening crack—and for one terrifying moment, Dawn had thought the Houndoom had somehow broken Torterra's neck—but she soon realized that something perhaps far more disturbing had occurred.

"Piplup, use-" Dawn began, trying to think of an attack that could knock the Fire-type off Torterra, but she was beaten to it.

"-Excadrill, use Drill Run!"

Excadrill came barreling toward Houndoom, managing to break the lock he had on Torterra's neck and—for sure, this time—knocking him out. It was then that Dawn realized the cracking noise had, in fact, been Houndoom's jaw, as she saw it hanging limply from his head at a 90-degree angle, a mix of slobber and blood oozing through the now-broken teeth.

Her concerns were immediately drawn toward Torterra, however, as he let out a gurgled, pained gasp. Even in the dim light, she could see Paul's skin pale before he hurried to his Pokémon.

"Torterra... Torterra..." he said, carefully grasping his starter Pokémon's head as he looked for the damage. He could see hardly anything in the light, but the one thing he did see—and feel—was his own Pokémon's hot blood on his hands when he briefly pulled them away.

"W-What happened here?" Iris stammered in shock. She did a quick double-take between Torterra and Houndoom, her gaze temporarily fixing on the latter's broken jaw. She felt a minor vibration against her chest, but it was lost in the beats of her own heart.

Neither Paul nor Dawn could answer. Dawn stood mortified for along moment before realized she had to act. She quickly recalled Piplup before managing to force the words "I-I'll get Abby!" out. When she turned to run back toward the battle club, however, she was met by the blinding flash of a camera. Iris immediately recognized its user.

"Get out of here! Go!" she yelled at Ciara, and the reporter scuttled away. Iris then sunk to her knees at Torterra's side, and Dawn, recovering, took off.

* * *

><p>"Can't you put your phone down for just a moment to enjoy the hard work your fellow coordinators and co-workers put into this panel?" Conway condescended to Ursula, who was sitting beside him with her nails tapping her phone's screen repeatedly. She gave him a dirty look.<p>

"I'm live-tweeting the panel on our official Twitter account, you dingus," she snarled.

"Quiet, you two." Barry turned around and glared. "Or I'm gonna give you a fine."

"_All right, Abby, here's a question for you from 17-year-old Bonnie Liscio of Lumiose City, Kalos,_" Grace said, clearing her throat. "_Abby, is there anything you took away from coordinating that you now use in your job as a Pokémon Doctor?_"

Dawn stopped running the moment she re-entered the main battle hall, slowing to a stiff, though still brisk pace as she moved toward the front. Her hands were shaking as she moved, knowing she would have to wait until Abby answered.

"_Ooh, that's an interesting question._" Abby paused, giving it some thought. "_Definitely. Definitely there are things coordinating has done for me that has stuck with me for my whole life and affected my career. Coordinating deepened my love for Pokémon, and it helped me realize that other people love their Pokémon just as much, even if they don't show it in the same way._

_You have to know and love and have a true partnership with your Pokémon to pull off the kind of beautiful appeals you see in contests, and to win in any battle. I needed to understand that. I needed to understand the kind of other trainers have for their Pokémon in order to become a good Pokémon Doctor—because I need to be personally invested in my patients, because knowing how much their trainer loves them makes me love them, too, and it drives me to do whatever I can to save their lives._"

"_Thank you, Abby!_" As soon as Grace uttered those words, Dawn went up to the panelist table, speaking to Abby in a low, though hurried voice. Abby's expression deadpanned, and she nodded before rising from her seat. Grace stumbled over her words, confused as to why Abby was leaving with Dawn—as was everyone else in the audience—but in some bout of wisdom, she carried on without inquiry.

"What the-" Drew rose up, alarmed. "Dawn." He stopped her, gently though firmly grasping her upper arm when she passed by. Abby kept going. "What's going on?"

Dawn's bottom lip quivered, and Drew felt a pit form in his stomach. Her horrified, pallor expression and the tears that were forming in her eyes told him something was _very_ wrong.

"T-There was this Houndoom, and it attacked me in the parking lot," Dawn began, her voice cracking. "Paul and his Torterra saved me and Piplup, but then the Houndoom went for Torterra's throat, and—I've never seen anything like it, it's _jaw_, the Houndoom's jaw came unhinged just so he could get it around Torterra's neck, and now Torterra's bleeding everywhere, and if it weren't for Iris's Excadrill... I had to get Abby, Torterra was gasping for air and-"

Drew let go of Dawn's arm. His skin was now paling, too.

"I-I'm sorry," Dawn stammered as she began walking back, away from him. "I have to go—I have to help."

The staffers sitting close enough to overhear the conversation looked similarly shocked. May drew in a shaky breath, pressing her hands to her chest. Kenny scrambled to stand.

"Don't worry," he told Drew. "I'll go see what this is all about. If we all leave, people will get more suspicious."

"Yeah." Drew nodded. "Go."

* * *

><p>Abby had seen here fair share of terrible, life-threatening injuries and conditions in her years as a Pokémon Doctor, but when she hurried out into that parking lot, she felt as though she had walked onto the set of a horror movie. She stopped, her breath catching. On one side, she had an unconscious, mutilated Houndoom—on the the other, a Torterra struggling to breathe, the bloodied hands of two Champions on him, desperately trying to help him.<p>

"Dr. Abby," Paul bleated, recognizing her as the help he needed. "My Torterra, his throat-"

Abby quickly reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. She quickly bent down next to Torterra, shining the light on his neck. It was as she feared—his carotid arteries had been punctured by the Houndoom's bite.

"We need to get to a Pokémon Center," she said. "I don't have the resources here to treat him. Do you have his Pokéball on you?"

"If I put him in his Pokéball, he'll bleed out and _die_ in there," Paul contended. Dawn and Kenny soon caught up with the group, Kenny stopping momentarily to let out a shaky breath.

"We can't carry him there, Paul," Abby reasoned as calmly as she could. "If we have a cloth or something to wrap around his neck, that may help dam the bleeding, better than your hands can."

Iris straightened up and firmly gripped the edge of her dress, tearing into it with sheer force and ripping off the bottom half—effectively turning her dress into a shirt and leaving her leggings to act as her pants. She handed the cloth to Abby, and Paul gave in, retrieving Torterra's Pokéball.

"What about the Houndoom?" Kenny asked, getting over his shock.

"I don't _care_ about the Houndoom," Paul snarled.

"There's an extra Pokéball in my bag," Abby said as she pressed the cloth to Torterra's neck. "Catch it, we'll take it with us."

Dawn nodded, and she made a grab for Abby's bag, rummaging through it and pulling the ball out. She enlarged it and tossed it toward the Houndoom—but it immediately bounced off. Alarm crossed her expression.

"I-It already has a trainer?!"

* * *

><p>"Iris?" Georgia's voice rang out in the women's bathroom as she strolled inside, hand on her hip. "You've been in here for a while now. Your husband's worried. I told him you're probably just sick because you're pregnant, which only made him want me to come check up on you more."<p>

Her words were met with silence. Georgia folded her arms and walked further inside, her heels clicking against the tile as she did.

"Iris, are you in here?" she asked, now more annoyed than before.

More silence.

Georgia finally ducked her head low enough to see if there were any feet beneath the stalls—and there weren't.

"Arceus," she mumbled tiredly before straightening up and hurrying out of the bathroom.

* * *

><p>The wait in the Pokémon Center's ER unit was torturous, and the silence that accompanied it was no better. No one knew what to say—if there was anything that could be said. Dawn was focusing of keeping her breathing even, and Kenny kept a comforting hand on her spine—though she might not have noticed either way. Iris was braiding her hair to distract herself. Paul sat alone, his head hanging and a hand pressed against his forehead. His thumb was rubbing his temple.<p>

A cell phone rang. No one moved.

"That's yours, Iris," Paul mumbled, the first thing he had said in a while. Iris snapped out of her thoughts and pulled the device out of her front breast pocket.

"Oh no," she mumbled with a horrified realization before she answered. "Mew, Cilan, I'm so sorry."

"_Where are you?!_" he frenetically demanded.

"I'm at the Pokémon Center."

"_What are you doing there?_" he asked. "_When Georgia told me you weren't in the bathroom, I immediately thought the worst—I was so scared._"

"I'm fine, I promise. There was an issue, an accident. Paul's Torterra-" Iris stopped short, not wanting to recount the horror of the scene with Paul sitting beside her. "I should have called, I'm sorry. I'm with Paul and Dawn and Kenny right now."

"_What's wrong with Paul's Torterra?_"

"It's... It's too much to explain over the phone." Iris shook her head. "Just come down here. Please."

"_... All right._" The line went dead, and Iris let out a sigh and lightly banged the back of her head against the wall behind her. She knew he was relieved, but she could tell he was mad, too.

Dawn's breathing took a bad turn as panic set in. Feeling sick, she abruptly stood up and left the room, causing alarm to cross both Kenny and Iris's expressions. Paul didn't react; he stayed as though nothing had happened. Kenny jumped up and followed her, while Iris turned her gaze toward Paul with sadness in her eyes.

"Dawn?" Kenny called after her. She went out the center's doors, and he followed. "Dawn, are you all right?"

She spun around, her shoulders crumpled and her hands clutching her chest.

"It's all my fault—it's all my fault," she cried, her voice shaking. "The Houndoom attacked _me_, and when Paul—and when Paul and Torterra saved me, I wasn't paying attention, I thought the Houndoom had passed out. And I was too shocked, too stupid, to do anything when that Houndoom latched onto Torterra's neck like that. I had Piplup with me, I could've told him to do something, he's strong against Fire-types, I could have knocked him off."

"Dawn, you can't blame yourself," he tried to assure her.

"If Torterra dies-"

"-Torterra is _not_ going to die," Kenny told her firmly, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me: You know Abby is one of the best Pokémon Doctors in the entire country, and she's working with Nurse Joy right now. Torterra's in good hands. He'll be fine—I _promise_ he'll be fine. Just breathe, okay?"

Dawn nodded slowly, sucking in her breath and trying to calm herself once again.

"You're right," she said. Kenny nodded with her, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Come on." He pulled her into a tight embrace, and Dawn's hands nervously moved up his back as she laid her head on his shoulder.

* * *

><p>Paul wasn't sure how much time had passed since they had come—whether the CIU event had ended or if it was still ongoing, how long Kenny and Dawn had been out of the room. He supposed it couldn't have been too long; he hadn't really been listening when Iris talked on the phone, but she had asked Cilan to come, and he wasn't there yet. These were just minor musings of the mind, however, in a haze of thoughts he couldn't sort out.<p>

He and Iris had both washed their hands since arriving, but they didn't feel clean; the heat was still there, under his skin, beneath his nails. That heat was all he could feel then, and maybe that was good—because he didn't want to feel much else.

"Paul?" His head snapped up when Abby walked through the double doors leading to the operating room. Iris, who had been absentmindedly playing with her wedding rings, also jolted out of her distant thoughts.

"Is he okay?" She jumped up, speaking quickly. "Is he all right?"

Abby looked at her, her lips pursed, but she said nothing. She slowly turned her head back to Paul.

"Paul, come back with me," she gently urged. He nodded, rising to his feet. She held the door open for him—yet he only took a few steps inside before he turned to face her and speak.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "Did his neck snap? Is he paralyzed?"

Abby's bottom lip briefly quivered.

"No," she answered.

"Then, he is fine?" he pressed. Abby sucked in her breath and sighed.

"Paul..."

Paul heard the sympathy, the pity in her tone—neither of which he wanted. He had never wanted them, and he especially didn't want them _now_.

"... No. No, no." He shook his head. "Don't tell me. Don't tell me-"

"-Nurse Joy and I did everything we could," Abby said, trying to keep her voice even.

"That's not—it's not-" He choked on his own words, his tongue scrambling them, because he didn't know where he wanted them to go; the voice he heard was not his own, it was not the voice he knew he had spoken with for the past 23 years of his life.

Abby fell back, as did her gaze.

"I'm so sorry," she said quietly.

Paul had never fully understood sentiment—why Dawn cried at the end of some movies, why his father persisted in visiting his mother's grave every year, why Reggie would sometimes tear up while watching Cedar performing mundane activities. Emotion—rather, being emotional—was a concept lost on him. When people talked about falling in love, or burning up with hatred, or facing a devastating loss, he thought it was an exaggeration. He wasn't sure if there as something wrong with the world, or if it was just him; if he had simply become numb to most of his feelings. Yet, in that moment, Paul at least understood what it meant to have your heart ripped out of your chest.

.

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	13. XII: In Which Kenny Hesitates to Step In

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Chapter XII: In Which Kenny Hesitates to Step In

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_**June 19th, 2009. Morning. Opelucid City.**_

"Paul?" Leaf called out into the apartment, but her voice bounced off the barren blue walls and rang in her ears. Still, she waited a moment to see whether he would answer her; he didn't. She let out a long breath and dropped her bag on the sofa before raising her voice higher, half-pleading, "Paul, please tell me you're here."

No response. Leaf felt her stomach begin to knot. She strode forward, taking a left to peek into the kitchen and nearby living room. He wasn't there. She turned and went the opposite direction, checking the few rooms she passed along the way—a closet, a small office—before she finally reached the bedroom. The door was closed.

Leaf closed her eyes, inhaling, trying to prepare for whatever she might find. She grabbed the doorknob and turned it.

"Paul? Are-" She stopped short, her voice dying off. He was there after all, lying flat on his back in bed, his eyes staring dully at the ceiling. She couldn't feel relief at finding him, though, because of the state he was in: messy hair that was sprawled across the pillow, bloodshot eyes, a terrifyingly blank expression. She had stumbled upon rock bottom—except this time, she was only a visitor.

"How'd you get in?" he asked, his directionless gaze unchanging.

Leaf's hand dropped to her side.

"I picked the lock," she admitted. "You weren't answering your phone."

"That's because I don't want to talk to anyone."

"People are worried about you," Leaf said simply. He didn't respond. She pursed her lips and wrung her hands together, casting her gaze around the room. She noticed his cell phone on his night stand and picked it up. "Arceus, you have like twenty-three missed calls."

Again, no response.

"Ash, Reggie, Zoey, Drew, me, Ritchie, Cynthia," Leaf began reading the list aloud. She paused before adding, "Dawn."

"Put that down unless you're going to turn it off," Paul said suddenly, firmly.

Leaf knew she was walking a fine line. Her temper wanted to flare up, to chastise him for undoubtedly scaring people who loved him—for scaring her—but she couldn't say she blamed him either. If she were him, she wouldn't want to relive last night's events over and over again with every friend, every family member, and every acquaintance.

"I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now, but-" she started again.

"-You are," he cut her off.

"The only reason I'm here is because I care about you. I know that's hard to believe, because it's a lot easier for me to be angry and sarcastic with people than it is to be loving and understanding. But I do, Paul. I'm really sorry," she persisted. She sighed again before adding, "I don't know what to say—I don't think there's anything I _can_ say, without it just being empty words and phrases."

He didn't move as Leaf hesitantly sat on the edge of his bed.

"Do you..." she began awkwardly, "want a hug or something?"

He finally turned his head toward her, his gaze narrowed, but his eyes still vacant.

"No."

Leaf sighed, still dropping a hand to his shoulder and rubbing it. He didn't try to shrug her off, and Leaf figured that was more of a bad sign than a good one. His total indifference to everything, except his own grief, was unnerving.

"I should have figured that," she conceded.

A hollowed silence followed. Leaf's hand was still on his shoulder, and she didn't know whether to withdraw it or not. She decided to keep it there, on the off-chance it did bring some minute level of reassurance.

"... I haven't told the other Pokémon yet." Paul unexpectedly spoke again, his voice small and contained.

"I'll do it," Leaf immediately volunteered.

"No, I have to do it," he said. "Right now, I'm just waiting to see if I'm going to wake up and realize this was all a nightmare—even though I know it isn't, because I haven't slept yet."

"I think we all wish it was a nightmare."

"That's nice. But you're not living it." The line was clearly meant to be delivered snappishly, but it fell flat.

Leaf frowned.

"I want to help," she said, trying not to sound pushy. "And I think the best way I can help is by bringing you someone you _do_ want to see—and I don't know if you want to see Dawn or not, but I do know you need to see her. You two need to talk. She was inconsolable by the time I got to the center last night."

Paul's fingers curled, but he said nothing for a while. Then, "Pokémon will do anything their trainers would. Torterra wouldn't, and he didn't, hesitate to sacrifice himself for Dawn. I just wish it was me instead of him who was dead—because I think we'd both be happier that way."

There was a change in Leaf's expression as her breath temporarily grew shallow. Paul closed his eyes.

"I'd like you to leave now," he said.

Leaf shook her head.

"I don't think I can do that."

"Why not?" he asked, too tired to muster up any semblance of anger or frustration in his tone.

Leaf swallowed.

"Because I don't know if I can trust you to be by yourself right now."

* * *

><p>The scent of Cilan's cooking was what finally drew Iris out of bed—barefooted, unshowered, dressed in her pajamas still—and into the kitchen, where her husband was at the stove, his eyebrows furrowed and his lips pressed into a hard line as he flipped a pancake. Iris looked and felt exhausted, which made sense, considering her sleep had been a restless one, plagued with feelings of guilt and melancholy.<p>

"Hey..." Iris greeted, sliding onto a stool across from him. "Smells good."

He glanced up at her, his expression staying firm.

"You wanted some?" he asked stiffly.

"You only made enough for one?" Iris raised an eyebrow.

"I can make more batter," Cilan dismissed, turning away from her as he went to retrieve the ingredients he needed. Iris sighed and threw her head back, groaning.

"It's just as I thought," she grumbled.

"What is?"

"You're still mad at me," she accused.

"I'm not." Cilan shook his head.

"Yes, you are. Don't pretend you aren't," Iris persisted. "You tend to get really passive aggressive when you're angry, and making breakfast for one when you've always done it for two is _textbook_ passive aggression. I don't read textbooks, and I know that."

Cilan paused, frowning. Then, he let out a long breath and set down his spatula.

"You're right," he conceded. "I'm sorry." He slid the pancake onto a plate, drizzled some Pecha berry syrup onto it, and pushed it toward her. He continued, "I'm not angry, though. I'm hurt."

Iris's lips tightened. She suddenly didn't feel like eating anymore.

"Why are you hurt?" she asked.

"We shouldn't discuss this right now," Cilan mumbled as he measured a cup of flour. "This is a period of mourning."

"No, we _should_ discuss this right now," Iris contended. "We should have discussed it last night, but then Torterra... We ended up going to bed not only upset by the situation, but upset at each other."

Cilan stopped again. He set the bowl in which he was mixing ingredients aside and laid his hands on the countertop, gripping the edges firmly.

"Iris, I love you," he said, putting power behind each word. "I love you more than I could possibly say. This past month and a half, though, has been a roller coaster—you being nearly assassinated, passing out in your office while I was at work, and then disappearing for almost a half-hour yesterday... I know, ultimately, it's selfish to complain, because I am not the one who carries the burden of the Championship title, nor am I living under the threat of losing my life. Still, I don't think it's too much to ask for a little _consideration_ in letting me know where you are, especially before you throw yourself into a dangerous situation."

"You know me being who I am, me being the Champion, means that I'm going to get pulled into dangerous situations sometimes," Iris argued back.

"I _do_ know that." Cilan's voice rose, if only a little bit. "But this is not just about you and I anymore. You are _pregnant_. When Georgia told me you were missing, I not only feared I had lost my wife, but that I had lost our son or daughter."

Iris fell silent, her gaze falling.

"It isn't just about that, though," Cilan went on. "You lied, Iris. You told us you were going somewhere, and you left knowing that wasn't where you were headed. That's what hurts."

"I know it was wrong—and I'm sorry," Iris spoke up again. "I hate lying. I hate that I lied to you. I wouldn't have done it, though, if I hadn't felt like it was my only escape. I have been _suffocated_ for the past month and a half by people telling me where to be, what to do, what not to do—by Leaf, by Paul, by his G-Men agents, and by you, too. I understand you all want to help. I understand you're all concerned for my safety. But these strings are cutting into my wrists."

Cilan pulled his arms back.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize..."

"I know," Iris said, quieter. "I know you didn't. I know no one had any bad intentions, and that makes me feel guilty, too. I wanted to talk to Paul, though. I know something's been wrong recently. I'm positive the reason why Dawn came to speak with Leaf alone last week was to talk about Paul. Also, if I hadn't gone... I don't know what else would have happened with that Houndoom. Would it have turned back on Dawn and Paul and Piplup? Would it have killed one of them, too?"

She choked on the word "killed," her eyes starting to water. Cilan's face softened with compassion, and he rounded the counter to embrace her.

"Oh Iris, Iris..." he said, taking her into his arms and kissing her hairline.

"I can't imagine it." She was still fighting tears. "I can't imagine how much pain Paul must be in right now. And even though in my head I know there was nothing I could do, I can't help but blame myself, because Trip came in yesterday with that stupid bulletin board, talking about a Houndoom that was attacking people and Pokémon, and I still couldn't stop it..."

"Wait, what?" Cilan pulled away to look at her.

"That bulletin board in my office, the one you were looking at yesterday, one of the connecting factors for a couple of the articles was a Houndoom attacking Pokémon and turning them against their trainers," she explained.

Cilan let out a shaky breath but smiled weakly, pulling her back into him.

"Well, you said you wanted to look more into that today," he said. "And now I think Leaf will be on your side."

Iris nodded slowly into his chest, calming down. She soon pushed herself away from him.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, wiping her eyes. "You know I normally don't cry like this. I guess Chili was right when he said the pregnancy hormones were getting to me."

"It is okay to be upset," Cilan told her. "Especially considering what's happened."

"I know," Iris said. "But I don't want to spend my time being sad—I want to do something. So, I'm going to eat breakfast, take a shower, get dressed, and get to work."

* * *

><p>Abby's knuckles were pressed gently against her lips as she stared through the window, where Houndoom lied in recovery. More than twelve hours later, she was still trying to make sense of what happened. Failing to save a Pokémon had always been the worst part of her job, but the death of Torterra seemed especially tragic, and even if they Houndoom managed to survive, it would be a bitter victory—he would be taken away for study, likely deemed unable to be rehabilitated, and put to death anyway.<p>

"Did that Houndoom ever bite you or Nurse Joy or anyone else?"

Abby's eyes turned toward the doors, through which a young, brunet male had entered. He slid his hands into his pockets as he stood beside her and looked through the window too, taking in the scene—the patches of missing hair, the purple discoloring on Houndoom's skin, which Abby had only noticed in the light of the Pokémon Center. These were details to which she had since become desensitized, but her visitor hadn't, not yet.

"No," she answered shortly.

He let out a relieved sigh.

"Good," he said. He then apologized, saying, "Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name-"

"-I know who you are," Abby cut him off. "You're Gary Oak, the grandson of Professor Samuel Oak and the boyfriend of the Indigo Champion, Leaf Greene."

He nodded, adding, "I'm also a friend to Paul Rebolledo."

"I figured." She paused before asking, "... Do you know how he's doing? Torterra was cremated this morning, and Paul can come get the ashes if he wants them."

"Leaf went to check up on him; I dunno if he'll be around for a while, though," he answered. "I came here to find out more about what happened last night."

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself," Abby admitted, turning her eyes back toward the Houndoom. "I've never seen anything like this before. Torterra, as a species, has a very thick, very hardy skin. The power that would have to go into breaking through it... It's inconceivable. Houndoom are not notable for jaw strength, but you would think they were, looking at this case."

Gary pursed his lips, but said nothing.

"And then there's the matter of Houndoom apparently breaking his own jaw, just to try to..." Abby trailed off. "There's no doubt about it: This Houndoom had intent to kill. But I can't think of any reason why, aside from... blood lust!" Abby let out an odd laugh. "Houndoom instigated the fight. This was not done out of fear or hunger. Even territorial fights are more tame than this." She shook her head. "I'm thinking steroids. I'm not sure what kind, though. Amplified aggression can be a product of performance-enhancing drugs, but I've never seen it at this level."

"I don't think it's steroids," Gary said doubtfully.

Abyy gave him a strange look.

"Then what do you think it is?" she asked.

"It's just a theory, but..." He stopped. "Would you mind if I ran some tests?"

"I'm not the person to ask," Abby told him. "You must receive permission from the trainer to perform tests that fall outside the standard procedures for medical care. Even if this were a wild Pokémon, he technically isn't under my care. He's under Nurse Joy's. I'm just a volunteer. You would need to ask her."

"How do you know this Pokémon has a trainer?" Gary craned an eyebrow.

"I tried to have Dawn catch him yesterday so we could bring him here, but the ball bounced off," Abby explained. "Kenny ended up having to essentially throw him in the back of his car."

"Was Kenny bitten?" Gary asked, alarmed.

"Not to my knowledge," Abby calmly replied. "Houndoom was out-cold at the time."

"Has he been out all this time?"

"No, actually," she answered. "When Nurse Joy and I had to perform surgery on his jaw last night, he was under anesthesia, and it wore off this morning. He was... incredibly violent when he woke up. Throwing himself against the walls, rabidly barking... Nurse Joy and I were thankfully out of the room at the time, and we had to take steps to tranquilize him. I don't know what will happen when he wakes up again, though. His fit undid some of the fixes we made last night, and he had to undergo another surgery."

It was then Gary realized how tired Abby looked. She clearly hadn't slept from dealing with the behavior of the Houndoom.

"And that's another strange thing, too," Abby went on, "for a Pokémon's aggressive behavior to persist even after it has become injured. This Houndoom will either kill, or it will die trying."

She wrapped her arms around herself, casting her gaze downward.

"Nurse Joy is sleeping right now," she said. "If you want to run tests, I'll look the other way."

"Thank you," Gary breathed.

"I must warn you, though," Abby continued firmly, "that while that tranquilizer is meant to last several hours, everything about this situation is catching me by surprise. I would be extra careful, if I were you."

Gary nodded.

"I will," he agreed as he opened the door to the room with Houndoom and stepped inside.

* * *

><p>"Ash..." Misty reached out, gently touching Ash's hand, as it mechanically pressed buttons against the keypad on his cell phone. "You have to stop. He's not going to answer."<p>

Ash's hand shook slightly before he lowered it, his face falling with it. They sat on the edge of his bed in the Opelucid Pokémon Center, but they were not alone—Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and Ritchie joined them, sitting in a loose circle. Normally, the group would enjoy a nice, cheap breakfast in the Pokémon Center before heading off toward the battle club so Ash could get in some training before his match that was scheduled for next Thursday, but no one had an appetite—and Ash didn't feel like training either.

"I just wanna talk to him," Ash said quietly. "I just wanna know if he's okay. I mean, I know he's not okay. He wasn't okay last night when we got here. But he left before anyone could talk to him. I just wanna talk to him."

"Do you know what you would say?" Misty asked.

"No, I guess not..." Ash trailed off.

"Then it's probably better you don't talk to him," she concluded.

"What _do_ you say to someone who lost their first Pokémon, though?" Ritchie asked. Sparky was in his lap, his expression matching the somber mood that hung above them. Ritchie was certainly counting his blessings then, that he still had his partner. "I don't think there is anything, except your condolences. And I think that's better than saying nothing. Maybe send him a text, Ash."

Ash nodded, lifting his phone again.

"Yeah..." he said, exchanging a glance with Pikachu. His ears were folded, but they perked up when his trainer looked at him. "I'll tell him Pikachu and I are just really sorry. That we all are."

"Er... maybe you should leave Pikachu out of it," Clemont spoke up. "It might come off as... insensitive? Since Pikachu's your first Pokémon."

"Oh." Ash frowned. "That's a good point. I guess I'll leave him out of it, then. That okay with you, Pikachu?"

"Pika-ka." Pikachu nodded, giving a tiny wave of his hand; he understood.

"How awful, though..." Serena said as Ash typed out his message. "To lose your first Pokémon. I couldn't imagine losing Delphox..." She shook her head. "And for a Champion, your first Pokémon isn't just your closest partner, it's... like your signature. It's what you're known by."

"It's losing a part of your identity," Clemont agreed. "That goes for any trainer."

"The whole situation just makes me feel sick," Bonnie added, hugging her Dedenne closer to her. "I'm not even friends with him, and I feel awful. And poor Dawn, too. They might be broken up, but still, for her to get caught up in this..."

"I'd still like to know what happened," Misty admitted. "I feel like if I get answers, I'll feel less terrible about it."

"I think it helps make sense of it, at least," Clemont said.

Ritchie briefly pursed his lips, hesitating.

"I might actually be able to help on that," he said.

"What do you mean?" Ash blinked.

"I've been hanging out with Trip recently, and he's been on about some strange happenings in Unova—on Pokémon-on-trainer attacks," Ritchie explained. "I didn't buy into what he was saying at first, but now I think he's really onto something."

"Pokémon-on-trainer attacks?" Serena asked, alarmed.

"It started like a month ago, with a Minccino disfiguring its trainer's face. Really violent stuff, you know?" Ritchie elaborated. "Trip started keeping track of more reported attacks popping up in the news, and I thought he was making a big deal over nothing, because who hasn't been bitten or shocked or burned by one of their Pokémon? He made a connection, though, between a Pokémon that attacked its trainer, later escaped before it could be sent to a rehabilitation facility, and was mentioned again by a different trainer whose Pokémon had also attacked it. That Pokémon was a Houndoom."

A short, stunned silence followed.

"So if we want answers..." Misty began.

"We start with that Houndoom," Ash finished for her. "I bet it's probably still in the recovery unit downstairs."

"Should we really be poking our noses into this, though?" Serena asked doubtfully. "This sounds like, I don't know, something that should be handled by the authorities."

"Those 'authorities' are Leaf, Paul, Iris, and Wallace," Misty pointed out.

"And they're probably drawing the same conclusions we are," Ritchie said, half-agreeing with Serena.

"I wanna know, though." Ash stood up, throwing on his cap. "And if I can help, I will."

* * *

><p>"I <em>cannot<em> believe this." Zoey slapped down an issue of Coordinators Weekly, the front cover of which depicted a gruesome scene—Paul's hands on the neck of his Torterra, blood dripping through his fingers and down his skin; a bewildered Iris, horrified by the sight; a Houndoom with a broken jaw splayed off to the side. The shock value alone would make it the publication's most-purchased issue—and it had sold many sensational covers in its history. The headline read, "Disaster at Contests in Unova Fundraising Event."

Zoey sunk into a seat, moaning as she raked her fingers through her hair. She was surrounded by the rest of the CIU staff and some of the members from the panel last night, come to see the fallout. Some were white-faced seeing the terrible image for the first time, and had to look away. Others were more distressed by the implications of the article—what it would mean for the movement and, heartbreakingly, what it would mean for Paul. Drew sat near Zoey, his cagnia pressed to his forehead and his thumb rubbed his temple.

"Where'd you even get a copy of this in Unova?" Harley asked, poking the edge of the magazine.

"They still have them in news stands in the city," Zoey explained. "Even though there isn't a branch of contests here, there is enough of a popular following to justify having the magazine printed and sold here."

"So what happened?" Nando inquired. "With this Pokémon... ?"

"Dawn would know more about it," Drew said, raising his head. "She was there. She was the one attacked by it first. The Houndoom, I mean."

"Where is Ms. Berlitz right now?" Robert asked.

"She's back at our apartment," Zoey answered. "She's not in the state of mind to be here right now. She's calmed down a lot since last night, but..." She trailed off, and nothing more was said for a short while.

"So what now?" May asked quietly. All eyes were suddenly on Drew, and he straightened.

"I..." He shook his head. "Overlooking this article, by all accounts, last night was a success."

"A Champion's Pokémon died in our parking lot, Drew," Zoey contested. "That pretty much shoots any success we experienced last night straight to hell."

"I disagree," Drew retorted. "No one would even know about Torterra, about this tragedy, if it weren't for this article. Your appeals—" Drew looked toward Solidad, Harley, Nando and Robert. "—were brilliant, and the panel itself was phenomenal. You had the audience laughing, you had them cheering. ... And Grace—" Drew looked at her next. "—you lived up to your name, because when Dawn came to get Abby, you didn't make a fuss about it, so neither did anyone else. ... I'm still sorry this happened, though. It's awful. There's no getting around that."

"I'm sorry, too," Solidad said. "For everyone—for the staff, for Dawn, but mostly, for Paul and Torterra."

"Has anyone been able to talk to Mr. Paul, yet?" Brianna asked.

"We've all left messages, but I don't think he's responded to anyone yet," Zoey said.

"We're going to have to wait on that one," Drew added. "I don't think he's going to say anything for a while, and even when he does talk, we're not going to be first on his list. For now, though..." Drew paused, thinking. "We... We have to carry on. We signed a contract with Don George to hold a special contest in Nimbasa Town, and we advertised for it last night. We announced its date and time at the end of the panel. We handed out fliers as people left. Conway put it up on our website. Ursula tweeted it out and posted about it on Facebook."

"We can't pretend Torterra's death didn't happen," Zoey protested.

"No, we can't," Drew agreed. "And we won't. Ursula, I want you to get on our Twitter right now and send a Tweet expressing our deepest sympathies for Mr. Rebolledo, noting that a press release is soon to come."

"A press release that I need to write?" Zoey inquired.

"Please," Drew answered.

Zoey sucked in her breath.

"All right," she said. "But we're going to need to talk to the G-Men first."

* * *

><p>The Pokémon Center's lobby was empty when Ash and company headed down the stairs. Not even Nurse Joy was stationed at the front desk, as she usually was—and Ash took that as a sign he was free to explore. He led the way, toward the doors that went into the center's intensive care unit and, ignoring the 'Restricted Access' sign, pushed through them.<p>

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea..." Serena began tepidly.

"Oh come on, Serena," Bonnie moaned. "Don't be such a worry wart."

"Don't worry. I get it," Misty assured Serena, keeping pace with her. "It probably is a bad idea. Once you accept that half of Ash's ideas are bad, life gets easier."

"Why are we doing it then?" Clemont asked.

"You have to muddle through the really bad ideas with Ash until you find the really good ones," Misty answered.

Ash suddenly stopped and shuffled behind a corner as an Audino passed by, and the others followed suit. They then continued on their way, until Ash perked up and said, "I think this might be it." He walked straight up toward the window, but shuddered upon the sight of Houndoom. The others gathered beside him and appeared similarly disturbed by the Pokémon's mangy appearance. A young male was in the room with Houndoom, but he hadn't noticed Ash and friends yet; he was instead focused on the needle he had in Houndoom.

"Hey..." Bonnie pressed her face closer to the glass. "Isn't that Gary, Ash?"

"Huh?" Ash's eyes widened. "It is! Gary?" Ash knocked on the window, trying to get his attention, and it worked. Gary's head shot up, but it wasn't the only attention Ash received. The Houndoom's thin eyes cracked open, revealing the disturbing shade of purple he had in his scleras.

Gary recoiled back. He muttered a curse aloud as the Houndoom came to life, not sparing a moment for grogginess. Houndoom rose up and snarled at Gary before leaping toward him, but Gary managed to dodge, and Houndoom ended up flying into a table, scattering multiple medical instruments as he did. Gary darted out of the room and shut the door behind him, leaning up against it as he sunk to the ground, his breath heavy. Houndoom began throwing himself at the door. The others were stunned by the scene that had just unfolded before them.

"What are you guys doing here?!" Gary demanded. "You're not allowed to be back here!"

"Are you?" Misty threw back.

"Touché."

The commotion brought Nurse Joy, now awake, and Abby running down the hallway.

"What's happened?" Nurse Joy asked when she reached the group. "No trainers in the Pokémon Center are allowed in the ICU unless one of the Pokémon admitted belongs to him or her, or if they are an approved volunteer!"

Houndoom threw itself against the door, and the distinct sound of wood splitting reached their ears. He was trying to break down the door.

"Audino, bring me the tranquilizer!" Nurse Joy called out. Sure enough, Audino soon came ambling down the hallway with a white, hand-held tranquilizer gun to give to Nurse Joy. She took it and looked pointedly at the group, saying, "Go to the other side of the window and distract him."

Ash nodded, quickly scrambling to knock on the far right side of the window to get Houndoom's attention. It worked, as Houndoom now jumped up against the window, barking wildly and barring its cracked and broken teeth. Slobber, pink with blood, trailed down the glass as Houndoom's jaw came unhinged again. Nurse Joy threw open the door and pointed the tranquilizer gun at Houndoom, and before he could think to attack her and escape, a dart was in his backside, and he slumped to the ground.

Serena let out a shaky breath. The others appeared similarly horrified, too. Nurse Joy, on the other hand, looked relieved as she went back into the room and tried to hoist Houndoom back onto the table. Abby went in to help her, and once Houndoom was secure, Nurse Joy checked his jaw again and walked back out, shutting the door again.

"He's going to need surgery for a third time," she sighed. "Please, I know you all must be curious, seeing as this is the Pokémon that killed Mr. Rebolledo's Torterra, but the situation is delicate."

"We're really sorry Nurse Joy," Ash said. "We had no idea this would happen."

His Pikachu also hung his head, offering an apologetic squeak.

Nurse Joy frowned before turning toward Abby.

"Did you know anything about this?" she asked. Gary spoke up before Abby could say anything.

"No, she had no idea we were here," he said. "We were just being stupid. We're sorry for the trouble."

Abby drew her arms around herself, while Nurse Joy folded hers.

"I think it might be best if you left right now," Nurse Joy said.

The group sheepishly returned to the lobby, Audino trailing behind them this time to ensure they didn't cause any more mischief. As soon as they were there, however, Ritchie turned to Gary and asked, "What were you doing back there anyway?"

"Same thing as you, I presume," Gary replied. "Trying to get answers."

Ash appeared guilty as he said, "I'm sorry, Gary. I ruined it. You looked like you were doing important stuff, and I ruined it."

"It's cool, Ash." Gary waved it off. He then reached into his front breast pocket, pulling out a vile of blood. Somehow, he had managed to successfully save it even after Houndoom had woken up. "I got exactly what I needed."

* * *

><p>The office phone rang as soon as Iris stepped through the doors with Cilan and Trip in tow. Without missing a beat, she swept by it and ripped out the plug, effectively killing the call. She then pulled out an easel fit snugly in a space between the wall and the bookcase full of things she had and never would read, set it up, and then went for the bulletin board leaning against her desk. She put it up on the easel, finding it fit there almost perfectly.<p>

"Okay," Iris breathed, addressing both Cilan and Trip, as she took a step back. "Looking at this board and thinking about last night—about Torterra being killed—what is the first thing that comes to your mind?"

"Is this supposed to be a riddle?" Trip asked dryly.

"Kind of," Iris said.

"How many other Pokémon have been killed by this Houndoom?" Cilan asked, immediately understanding what his wife was getting at. "If these incidents are connected, this board tells us how many Pokémon were attacked by Houndoom, only to later turn on their trainers. But how many other Pokémon are there that are like Torterra, that were killed before they got the chance to also mysteriously exhibit aggressive behavior?"

"Ding!" Iris beamed. "I knew there was a reason why I married you."

"To be honest, though," Trip began, "I'm more curious _why_ these Pokémon are turning violent than how many have been affected."

"Obviously, we're going to have to look into that, too," Iris said, "and we will. The trainers' names are in these articles. As far as we know, all of them, except for one, are alive. We'll have to talk to them. The G-Men has database that, while totally sketchy, lists every person whose ever legally gotten a trainer license, and it'll have their picture and phone number and address and stuff. I don't know how to use it, though, and I don't think I even have access to it. Leaf does, but she's not here, and I'm not waiting. So I wanna start with this. I think it'll give us an idea of how big this thing is, of what exactly we're dealing with."

"Fair enough," Trip conceded.

"How can we know how many Pokémon have been killed, though?" Cilan posed the question calmly.

"That's easy," Trip answered dismissively. "Where do you take a Pokémon when it dies? The Pokémon Center. They cremate the Pokémon and give the trainer the ashes. It's a free service. Pokémon Centers keep a record of all the Pokémon that die, too, for like a year, I think. We can call Pokémon Centers and ask Nurse Joy to send us a log of all the Pokémon that have died in the past month. It probably won't account for any wild Pokémon that might've been killed, or trainers who chose to bury their own Pokémon, but it's something."

"There are _hundreds_ of Pokémon Centers in Unova, though." Cilan frowned. "To sift through the causes of death for that many centers, just to see if any are listed as being killed by a Pokémon, which may or may not even be Houndoom..."

"Can't we narrow it down somehow?" Iris asked.

"We can." Trip nodded. He went up to the bulletin board and pulled off one of the articles. "This is one about the trainer being attacked by a Houndoom, the one that later escaped from the police station before it could be admitted to a rehabilitation facility. The dateline reads Mistralton City, Unova."

"So we need to look at every Pokémon Center between there and here," Cilan mused.

"Right," Trip affirmed. A phone began ringing. "Iris, that's yours."

Iris blinked before reaching into her pocket and pulling the device out.

"Hello?" she answered tepidly.

"_Hey._" Zoey's voice emerged from the other side. "_Just calling to check in. I tried to go the professional route and call your office phone, but the line went dead after one ring._"

"Oh, that was you?" Iris asked sheepishly. "Sorry, I disconnected the phone as soon as it rang. I was thinking it was probably someone I didn't want to talk to, like that lady from Coordinators Weekly."

"_Yeah, about that..._" Zoey trailed off. "_That's actually the reason why I originally called. I'm trying to prepare a press release, and I'm sure the G-Men are, too. I thought it might be a good idea to collaborate._"

"For sure," Iris agreed. "Leaf would probably know more about it than me, though. I don't have anything to do with press releases outside of being the subject of them."

"_I figured you would be less of a pain in the ass to talk to than Leaf, though,_" Zoey admitted.

"That's probably true," Iris conceded. She paused, thinking. "Okay. I don't know how much I can help you or the CIU, but if you come down here, I'll show you what I've got."

_**June 19th, 2009. Afternoon. Location Unknown.**_

N had felt particularly lonely since returning home.

Certainly, he was happy to be back with his sisters, Concordia and Anthea. They had worried dearly for him while he was missing, and for that, he apologized. Yet, he was wracked with a guilt he couldn't shake off. Speaking with Ash Ketchum had been an enlightening experience, with his personal stories and philosophies contradicting everything Ghetsis had ever told him about Pokémon Trainers. He felt bad he had been pulled away from him, before he could keep the promise he had made to Leaf.

He had expressed these feelings to Ghetsis privately, to which Ghetsis scoffed and told him Ash and the G-Men were only telling him what he wanted to hear, so they could get the information they needed to bring down Team Plasma and uphold the institution of Pokémon training. That made N feel worse. It certainly didn't help that Ghetsis wasn't letting him leave home for now; as Ghetsis put it, the G-Men would try to get their hands on him again.

N wandered down the hallway aimlessly, wondering what he should do that day. The first few days spent indoors had not been so terrible, as Ghetsis had gifted him with an algebra textbook, and N had whittled away his hours solving the problems within. He liked arithmetic, because there were _always_ answers to the questions. He could work through the steps, calculate the numbers, and reach a solid, unchanging conclusion. Math was black and white; the answers were either right or wrong. It was a satisfying hobby, but he grew bored of it after a while and needed something else to keep him occupied.

He paused his trip, however, when he heard Ghetsis and Colress's voices emerge from the other side of a crack-open door. N stopped and peered inside out of curiosity, seeing the two men standing together. He hadn't known Colress had come. Although he and Ghetsis were close, Colress rarely came there. He usually had his own projects to which he needed to attend.

"I do not see the problem," Ghetsis said, flipping through the pages of a magazine Colress had handed him. "This is more than we could have asked for. We wanted this to grab the nation's attention, and the death of a Champion's Pokémon does it for us."

"I agree that this can give us the stage we desire," Colress replied. "But we must be cautious, as to ensure we maintain our control, and I am afraid we could lose it. I was afraid that would happen when the police station in Mistralton City _idiotically_ lost that Houndoom before it could reach SAMPLe's rehabilitation facility."

"Clearly, it ended up working out in our favor."

"For now, it has. But it would do you well to remember, Ghetsis, that if this gets more out of hand, it will end up working against us than for us."

"Come now, Colress, haven't you always had a taste for chaos?" Ghetsis asked wryly.

"I do," Colress conceded. "We have fifteen Pokémon to which that Houndoom spread its infection on its runaway adventure, but are there others? Others we don't know about? It could multiply very quickly, to where it's too much for even us to control."

"If there are, we will find them," Ghetsis said simply. "Don't worry yourself."

"I would worry less if we had a cure," Colress admitted.

"And you will find it in time."

"I don't have the proper funding to pour into researching it," Colress said. "That's where Christopher Rogers was supposed to come in. I don't know if his son, Drew Hayden, will pull through for us. Even if he does, will it be in time? He is in charge of the CIU movement. He does not plan to address his father's fortune until the CIU reaches its end."

"It may reach an early end in failure, if the fear of the infection drives him to shut it down," Ghetsis pointed out.

Colress hesitated.

"That is true..."

"Moreover, even if Hayden fails to follow his father's original wishes, there is always Iris," Ghetsis went on. "We had always hoped to drive her to us. This may do it."

"That is also true."

"See? Then there is nothing to worry about."

"You are right as usual, my dear friend." Colress suddenly perked up, looking toward the door, where he noticed N. "Hello there, Natural. Please, no need to spy. Come speak with us."

N was embarrassed—and a little scared—he had been caught, but he quickly shuffled inside nevertheless.

"What's this all about?" N asked.

"We're just discussing our plans to move along the liberation of all Pokémon," Ghetsis dismissed.

"An infection, though?" N pressed.

"It is a _good_ infection," Colress assured him, placing a hand on N's shoulder. "It helps them bring out their true power and rebel against their trainers."

"Oh..." N trailed off. "I've never heard of a 'good' infection. But wait, what about this Torterra that died?"

"That was due to the negligence and brutality of the trainers." Ghetsis held up the magazine, Coordinators Weekly, and N shuddered at the terrible cover. "You see this? This is the aftermath of a Pokémon battle. This is why Pokémon battles are bad. It cost the life of that poor Torterra, and left Houndoom in that terrible condition. Let it only drive the impetus to liberate all Pokémon."

N's bottom lip quivered as he hung his head. Both anger and sadness washed over him.

"How can... How can trainers be so cruel?" he asked, his voice shaking.

_**June 19th, 2009. Afternoon. Opelucid City.**_

Leaf found herself nodding off on Paul's sofa as she tried to read one of the novels she had snatched off his bookshelf. He had eventually decided to give him space, to leave him to his own in his bedroom. She still wasn't willing to leave the apartment, though, so she was staying until she could come up with a better solution.

She was jolted out of her sleepiness when her cell phone rang. She maneuvered herself to retrieve the device.

"Hey, Gary?" she answered, picking up.

"_I have some potentially bad news._"

"... Potentially bad news?" Leaf asked wearily. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"_Confession: This morning I went to the Pokémon Center to see that Houndoom, so I could get a sample of his blood. I drew a vial without the permission of Nurse Joy,_" he explained.

"Please, for the love of Mew, tell me you haven't been arrested," Leaf groaned. "If you're going to break the law, please don't get caught."

"_I wasn't. Or, I was caught, but I wasn't arrested,_" Gary clarified. "_Ash and friends came by to check out Houndoom themselves, a commotion ensued, and we got kicked out. That's aside from the point, though. I managed to hold onto the vial of Houndoom's blood, and I ran some really basic tests and..._"

"And what?" Leaf prompted.

"_I can't say for sure, Leaf, but there are some indicators that this Houndoom has Virus X, the virus I studied in my thesis._" Gary's voice took a serious turn.

"What?" Leaf straightened up, confused. "No, that's not possible. It's something else. I thought that virus was supposed to be millions of years old, and no one had found it anywhere except in those Lileep you studied. Those Lileep are in Hoenn. How would it get all the way to Unova? You even said it wasn't easily spreadable among the Lileep without intervention."

"_Yeah, about that,_" Gary coughed. "_Don't know if I didn't tell you or if you just don't remember, but one of the Lileep were stolen from Mauville University. I checked, and the timelines match up. That Minccino attacked its trainer after the Lileep was stolen._"

Leaf let out a shaky breath, sinking into her seat.

"You're sure it's Virus X?" she asked.

"_No, that's the thing. I'm not sure,_" Gary admitted. "_I don't have the tools to run the tests I need to confirm it. I was going to use the Pokémon Center's facilities to do it, but like I told you, I got kicked out. It's why I called it 'potentially bad news.' Although, I've got to admit, Leaf, this theory of mine has got more credence than I wish it did._"

"But it could be something else?" she pressed.

"_Could be,_" he replied. "_Don't bank on it, though._"

"What do you need to confirm it?" she asked.

"_I'm trying to make some phone calls, work some connections, so I can get into a lab at a nearby university,_" Gary said. "_That's not why I called, though. I do think this Houndoom is the same Trip was talking about yesterday when he brought in that bulletin board. The trainer's name is in the article._"

"Let me guess: You want the trainer's number to speak with him or her."

"_No, __**you**__ are going to want that trainer's number,_" Gary corrected. "_You were right when you said that the virus is hard to spread from Lileep. That means if it is Virus X, and it came from one of those Lileep, it wasn't an accident. Someone had to have purposefully infected a Pokémon with it. Whether Houndoom's a part of that or not, I don't know. But the implications are bad._"

"How bad?"

"_Disastrously bad._" Gary didn't sugarcoat it. "_My team and I had a theory that Virus X was zoonotic. That means it can affect multiple species—including humans._"

"And Minccino's trainer died," Leaf breathed, as the scariness of the possibility began to set in. "And if it makes Pokémon as violent as Houndoom..."

"_Now you see what I mean?_"

"Yeah..." Leaf ran her fingers through her hair. "Okay. I'll go back to the gym, and I'll get that trainer's name."

"_You're not there now?_"

"No," Leaf replied. "I'm at Paul's still. I'll call someone to come keep him company. Agent Gray, maybe."

"_How's he doing?_"

"Need you even ask?"

"_Got it. Stay safe, okay?_"

Leaf frowned as she rose to her feet.

"Don't say things like that."

* * *

><p>"Arceus, this is..." Drew didn't finish his thought, unsure of what to say as he stared at the bulletin board before him. Zoey stood at his side, also taking in the collection. He slowly turned back toward the group, asking, "You think all this ties into what happened last night?"<p>

"It's just as theory at this point, but it is one we now are taking seriously," Cilan answered, his laptop positioned on his knees. They had made several calls that morning to a variety of Pokémon Centers, and the first batches of death logs were beginning to arrive by email.

"Now are?" Zoey inquired, also turning toward the group.

"I first brought this to their attention yesterday," Trip answered for Cilan. "Before Torterra..."

Silence fell—and as it did, Leaf pushed open the door and walked inside. Her troubled expression turned puzzled when she saw that Zoey and Drew were there.

"Hi, you two," she greeted.

"Hey. We heard you went to see Paul this morning. Is he all right?" Zoey asked.

"Mm... No." Leaf didn't bother concealing it. "I don't know what else you would expect, though. I called Agent Gray and asked her to go hang out in his apartment until tonight, at which time I'm going to have to figure out a slightly longer-term solution."

"Why are you sending people to babysit him?" Trip asked. "If he wants to be alone, then let him be. I don't blame him."

Something clicked in Zoey's head. She bit her tongue and looked away.

"It's so..." Leaf began, but she ended up scrapping the sentence. "Anyway, it's my thing to deal with. Don't worry about it. What are you doing here, Zoey and Drew?"

"We saw the article this morning and thought it would be a good idea for the CIU to team up with the G-Men for damage control," Drew answered, but Leaf furrowed her eyebrows.

"Article?" she inquired. Zoey reached into her bag and unfurled a copy of Coordinators Weekly, handing it to Leaf. The Indigo Champion's breath caught when she saw the cover; Cilan, Iris, and Trip paused their activities as well to see what had Leaf looking so stricken, and they ended up looking horrified themselves. Iris pressed a hand to her face, sighing as she saw herself in the cover photo.

"Oh Mew..." Leaf began flipping through the pages, looking at the story. "Who is Ciara Skelley, and why does that name sound familiar?"

"Ciara is the most popular reporter for Coordinators Weekly, and you've probably heard of her before, because she's the same person who wrote the series of stories on Kyle and Barry," Zoey muttered bitterly. "She was covering the event last night, and I didn't notice her leaving the press area."

"Is she the same person who tried to interview Iris yesterday?" Cilan inquired.

"Mhm," Zoey hummed.

"And who made vague threats against you?" Trip jumped in.

"Wait, time out." Drew turned to Zoey. "She made threats against you? What kind of threats?"

"_Nothing._ Nothing important, at least," Zoey insisted. "She thinks herself powerful since the fallout with Barry, and there's no need to stroke her ego and act like we're afraid of her. That's why it would be good for both of us to get out in front of it now, to say we're investigating the incident."

"And what exactly are we investigating right now?" Leaf asked.

"We're trying to figure out if there were any other Pokémon that might have been killed by this Houndoom, looking at reports from Pokémon Centers," Iris explained. "So far, we have a 'maybe.' A Pokémon Center on Route 7 lists the cause of death for a Venipede as being killed by a wild Pokémon, which could be Houndoom."

"Dawn said that Houndoom wasn't wild," Zoey pointed out.

"It could easily be mistaken for one, though, since the trainer isn't around," Cilan said. "Houndoom was an escapee from a police station in Mistralton City. And with the rabid look about it..."

"Speaking of that trainer, I need their name so I can get their phone number," Leaf interjected. "Whoever it is, we need to have a chat."

"We were hoping to get that, actually," Trip admitted. "It's Summer Morana. Her name was mentioned in the article."

"Good." Leaf nodded.

"Leaf, if you're going to talk to this person, would you mind if we came, too?" Drew asked. "I want to be involved in this."

Leaf paused, casting him a cautious glance. She pressed her lips into a hard line.

"No," she decided. "You just need to focus on the CIU and planning your special contest."

"From what I'm hearing now, about these attacks and the possibility that _more_ Pokémon have died," Drew began frankly, "I'm not so sure that special contest would be a good idea. I want to know more, try to get a feel for what the scope of this problem is, so I can make an informed decision."

"Do _not_ shut down the CIU because of this," Leaf said firmly.

"I wasn't saying I was shutting it down. I just need to know what's going on," Drew pressed.

"And we'll keep you updated," Leaf tersely replied. "We're not going to send out a press release today, though. I'm saving it for tomorrow, after we hopefully know more."

"What do you expect the CIU to do then?" Zoey asked.

"Hold off, too?" Leaf suggested. "It's just a day. Since Wallace is here in Unova, I'm going to ask him to take up the reins on the damage control for this incident, and I'll be sure to put him in contact with you guys."

"We wanted-" Drew stopped himself, before he could get too frustrated. "Fine. We'll be expecting to a call from Wallace tomorrow then. Come on, Zoey."

Zoey frowned and retrieved her copy of _Coordinators Weekly_, beginning to follow Drew out.

"Thank you for having us, Iris," Zoey said politely.

"Thank you for coming," Iris replied. As soon as they disappeared, shutting the door behind them, Iris turned her eyes toward Leaf, glaring as she said, "What was that all about? Don't cut them off."

"We need to call a meeting with Georgia," Leaf said, ignoring Iris's admonishment. "We're going to need to put off the announcement that she's your pick."

"Again?" Iris huffed.

"It wouldn't be in good taste with what happened last night—with you on that cover," Leaf said calmly. She turned her eyes toward the bulletin board again. "And FYI, Iris—having your Chief for the G-Men would make things a whole lot easier right now."

Iris fell back, casting her gaze toward the ground.

"Yeah. I know," she said quietly.

* * *

><p>"Hey." Serena knocked on the half-open door to the room in which Clemont was staying before poking her head inside. "We're going out to get some dinner with Ritchie and Ash. Do you want to come?"<p>

Clemont was hunched over his desk, pencil in hand, doodling something on a complimentary notepad; yet, he snapped his head up when Serena spoke.

"No Misty?" he asked.

"She apparently went to a meeting."

"Well... okay!" he agreed. "Just give me a moment."

He rose up and glanced into the mirror, trying to pet down the piece of hair sticking out near the back of his head; Bonnie often gave him a hard time about it when they went out in public ("I'll never find a wife for you if you look like this!" she'd moan), and he wasn't in the mood for it tonight with the gloomy atmosphere that had infected even their little group from Kalos (which, Clemont inwardly conceded, might mean Bonnie wasn't going to give him grief, but he decided it was better to be safe than sorry). Serena, meanwhile, meandered into the room, waiting. Her eyes caught sight of the drawing on the notepad.

"What's this?" she asked, picking it up.

"Oh that? Just a couple of ideas for an invention I was getting down..." Clemont answered. "I was inspired, I guess you could say, by that Houndoom. It was hurting itself trying to escape when it woke up. I was just thinking, there should be something for that..."

"Never a day off, huh?" Serena smiled tiredly.

"Guess not," Clemont chuckled. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

><p>"I'm really sorry about this," Iris apologized with a sigh. "I hate that we have to keep making you wait..."<p>

She sat across from Georgia, though they were not alone in the office. Cilan, Trip, Leaf, and Gary were also present; yet, they were not necessarily participants in the conversation. Each had a laptop out and were pursuing their own lines of work. Iris hadn't bothered to ask them to leave when Georgia arrived for what would end up being a brief discussion.

"Nah, it's fine," Georgia dismissed with a wave of her hand. "I pretty much figured this was going to happen after last night. Do you have any idea how Paul's doing?"

"Why does everyone ask that?" Leaf muttered, speaking up.

"Because... sympathy?" Georgia craned an eyebrow. "I'd fall apart if I lost Beartic."

"There, you said it. Now you know how he's doing." Leaf paused, her eyes moving toward the corner of her laptop screen. It was starting to get late.

"Fair enough," Georgia conceded. "Do you know when we're going to announce the nomination now?"

"Several days? I don't know." Leaf shrugged.

"Cool," Georgia said dryly. "Well, if that's all, then I'm leaving."

She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Trip snapped his laptop shut.

"I'll walk you out," he said, also standing. She gave him an odd look, but didn't say anything to protest.

"See ya later, Iris." Georgia saluted her as she left with Trip on her tail.

"Yeah... see you..." Iris mumbled.

As Georgia and Trip started heading down the hallway, she asked, "So, was there something you needed to talk to me about? Here to rub the fact you were right in my face?"

"What?" Trip gave her a strange look.

"I laughed it off when you made that dumb bulletin board," Georgia elaborated, "and as it turns out, you were right about it, and everyone else—including me—was wrong. I'd be gloating now, too."

"I'm not gloating," Trip said. "Really, if this turns out to be as serious as I hope it isn't, then I wish I would've been wrong and that none of the attacks were a big deal."

"I guess the more mature way of looking at it," she mumbled. "Why are you following me, then?"

"Look, I just wanted to make sure you got to your car safely," Trip sighed. "I'm not all that comfortable with friends going out in parking lots alone at night right now, since one got attacked yesterday, and a Pokémon ended up dying."

Georgia smiled at him wryly as she pushed the elevator button.

"It's cute that you think I'm a friend," she said.

"You know what I mean." Trip glowered at her as the doors opened and they stepped inside.

"I'm not opposed to it," Georgia clarified coolly. "I just think it's cute."

Trip stared at her, unsure of what to say. He found himself saved, however, when the elevator doors opened again, and they were greeted by a familiar face.

"Hi, Trip," Misty said, standing outside the doors.

"Misty?" Trip blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Leaf called and said she wanted to talk," Misty answered in short. Her eyes moved toward Georgia. "You're Georgia Hamilton, right? I know we've met a couple times, but I don't think we've formally introduced ourselves." She held out her hand. "I'm Misty Waterflower. I'm a member of the Indigo Elite Four. I've heard that you're supposed to fill the vacancy in the Unova Elite Four."

"Yeah... supposed to," Georgia drawled, shaking her hand.

Misty offered her a crooked smile.

"Anyway, I'll let you guys be on your way," she said, trading places with them in the elevator. "Nice seeing you."

When the doors closed, Georgia pursed her lips and cast Trip a wondering glance.

"So..." she began, addressing him, "is there a standard where I should helping out with what's happening upstairs?"

"Mmm... No. Not really," Trip answered. "Elite Four members mostly do their own thing, separate from the Champion. You don't see Caitlin or Shauntal or Marshal hanging around here. But, Leaf and Misty are pretty good friends, and it's not uncommon for a Champion to pick an 'adviser' figure out of their Elite Four—someone who is privy to what's going on, someone who keeps the Champion's power in check. Paul doesn't have one. I think Phoebe and Wallace are decent enough friends."

"Does Iris have one?" Georgia asked.

Trip looked at her as though the answer was obvious.

"You," he said. "At least, you're supposed to be."

* * *

><p>"I think I've found her," Leaf announced suddenly, her eyes still on her screen. "Summer Morana. 17-years-old. Hometown is Goldenrod City, Johto. Johto—that's where Houndoom originate."<p>

"Are you going to call Ms. Morana?" Cilan inquired.

"I wouldn't have looked her up if I wasn't." Leaf pulled out her cell phone, dialing the number. She rose up and headed out into the hallway, so she wouldn't disturb the others. It took several rings, but the other end of the line finally picked up.

"_Hello?_" a groggy male voice answered.

"Hi, my name is Amanda Norie," Leaf greeted. "I'm-"

"_-Who the hell calls at this hour?_" the man cut her off.

"Ooh, right. Sorry. I forgot it's later there in Johto than it is here," Leaf said apologetically. "I'm just looking to speak with Summer. We're old friends, and I haven't been able to get ahold of her for a while."

The line fell silent for a long moment, and Leaf began to wonder if he had hung up on her. Then, he said, "_Summer isn't here right now. She's in Unova._"

"What a coincidence. I'm in Unova, too." Leaf inwardly celebrated. She had the right person. "Do you happen to know where she is?"

"_In the Mistralton City Hospital ICU._"

Leaf's silent praises ended. A chill ran up her spine. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Misty coming up the hallway. The Elite Four trainer stopped to wait, noticing she was in the middle of a phone call.

"Why... Why is she there?" Leaf asked.

"_She's been very sick recently,_" the man said gravely. "_Her mother, my wife, is with her right now. I was there last week, but I had to come back. I run a business here, and the medical bills are piling up. I'm sorry you had to find out this way._"

"I see. ... Please send her my best wishes." Leaf didn't know what else to say. "Well, I'm sorry for bothering you."

When Leaf ended the call, Misty asked, "What was that about?"

"Nothing," Leaf mumbled. "Glad you could make it here."

"What did you want to talk about?"

Leaf let out a cleansing breath, knowing she needed to regather and refocus herself.

"I heard about what happened this morning," she said evenly. "About you and Ritchie and Ash and his Kalosian friends trying to check out Houndoom."

"Ugh," Misty huffed. "Gary. That snitch."

"You need to keep Ash out of this." Leaf wasn't laughing, which caught Misty off guard. Leaf was usually willing to engage in banter; in fact, she was usually the one to initiate it. "What happened isn't any of his business."

Misty scoffed.

"Every episode of Ash's life is about helping people solve their problems, even though they are 'none of his business,'" she said. "This is actually personal, though—not just for Ash, but for a lot of people. For all fifteen of us, because Paul is one of us."

"And I _get_ that," Leaf affirmed. "He's worried about Paul and wants to help. We're all worried about Paul. But this is G-Men territory, and he shouldn't be involved. I can't let the lines blur, Misty, not just a couple days before the Championship match."

"The lines _are_ blurred," Misty pressed. "Ash has been in the G-Men's territory for basically his entire life, and you know that. Weren't you the one to who pulled together all those G-Men reports of Ash saving Legendary Pokémon, of him being the Chosen One, when you were first trying to establish the Ash Connection seven years ago? The impartiality clause won't change or erase that."

"Yeah, Gary said something similar," Leaf mumbled.

"Because it's _true_."

"Just keep him at bay, okay?" Leaf sighed. "The match is Thursday, and our plane leaves Wednesday. It shouldn't be that hard."

"Leaf, do you honestly believe that match is going to happen on Thursday?"

Leaf stopped, staring at Misty with wide eyes.

"I... I mean..." Leaf shook her head. "I can't really _cancel_ it at this point. Goodshow would have my head. It's not like I can push it back, either, because it'll conflict with the Hoenn League, which is supposed to be starting pretty soon." She paused. "Totally unrelated question: Aside from Dawn, who do you think in our group cares the most about Paul?"

"Uh..." Misty blinked. "Either Ash or Barry, I'd say."

"Well, Ash is a no," Leaf mused. "But Barry... He and Kenny are staying together right now, aren't they?"

* * *

><p>"I wonder how Dawn's doing..." Kenny trailed off as he scrubbed one of the plates in the kitchen sink. Barry and Kenny had recently returned to their apartment, where the dishes, unfortunately, were beginning to pile up. He'd made Barry clean it up last time, so now it was his turn. "Maybe I should send her a text."<p>

"Not a bad idea," Barry replied thoughtlessly. He was laying on his back on a sofa in the conjoined living room, tossing a hacky-sack up and down and catching it. "Just make sure you're doin' it for the right reasons, a'ight? You don't wanna be a rebound guy."

"I'm not doing it because of that." Kenny scowled. "I'm doing it because she's my friend, and because she went through a traumatic experience yesterday. I was with her when she found out Torterra died. Arceus, it was awful..."

The two men perked up when they heard a knock at the door and then they exchanged confused glances.

"Were we expecting someone?" Kenny asked as he dried his hands and went to answer. His eyebrows shot up upon seeing whom their visitor was.

"Hey, Leaf," he greeted, blinking.

"Hi," she said shortly, though amicably. "Can I come in?"

"Sure..." He held the door open for her, and she quickly strode inside.

"Yo, Leaf." Barry saluted her when he saw her, though he seemed as bemused as Kenny. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to ask a favor of both of you," Leaf said simply, getting straight to the point.

"Uh... What is it?" Kenny asked.

"I need you to move in with Paul for several days," she answered. "Keep an eye on him, make sure he's not alone for too long. Agent Gray will be there throughout the day, but someone ought to be there at night, too."

Kenny and Barry both appeared taken aback by this seemingly strange request, but given time to think more deeply about it, they found it a little unnerving.

"What... are you implying?" Kenny asked cautiously.

"Don't mind that." Leaf brushed off the question. "Just do this for me please."

"Yeah, no," Kenny replied, dragging out his vowels. "I don't think it'll go over really well if Barry and I just show up on his doorstep and ask to spend a couple nights there for no apparent reason, especially when there has probably never been a time in his life when he has wanted not to be bothered more than he does now."

"Tell him you came home to a leak that had flooded your apartment," Leaf suggested. "You only live several blocks away. It makes sense you would go to him for a place to stay."

"No, it doesn't," Kenny contended. "Even if we were in an alternate universe where Torterra hadn't died yesterday, we would still not go to Paul's apartment. We would get a hotel room."

"I would go to Paul's apartment," Barry interjected.

"See? Barry would go to Paul's apartment," Leaf said lightly, gesturing toward the blond for emphasis.

"This is stupid, Leaf." Kenny rolled his eyes.

"It isn't, actually," Leaf persisted, sounding a hint more serious.

"I'm not going to lie about flooding in my apartment just so we can have a sleepover," Kenny said, exasperated.

"Yeah," Barry agreed, albeit hesitantly. "I'm not a fan of lying, either."

Leaf was starting to look frustrated, too, but she soon let out a sigh and fell back.

"Fine," she said. "I understand."

"You do?" Kenny was surprised Leaf was giving in this quickly. Leaf, he knew, was the type to fight until she got what she wanted—whether by words or by other means.

"It's not fair to ask you guys to lie," she conceded. She paused before asking, "Before I go, would you mind getting me a glass of water? I walked here."

Kenny looked relieved; she seemed genuine, which was good for him. He was not in the mood to get into a spat with the Indigo Champion.

"Sure," he said, figuring it was the least he could do. He walked toward the cupboard, opening it up and retrieving a glass for water. Leaf followed him into the kitchen, though she headed past him, toward the sink. Kenny failed to notice this however, as he opened up the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of water.

"You want any ice?" he asked as he poured water into the pitcher.

"Ice is great," Leaf mumbled as she bent down, opening up the cupboards beneath the sink. She reached inside and pulled a toolbox halfway out, enough to see her options in the light. She picked a wrench. She shoved the toolbox back inside and straightened up again, turning on the sink.

"Okay." Kenny nodded as he turned toward the freezer, scooping out some ice cubes and dropping them into the water. It was then Kenny turned and realized Leaf was up to something. "Wait, Leaf, what are you-"

Too late. Leaf took a powerful swing at the faucet, knocking off the entire head. Water sprayed violently into the air, hitting as high the ceiling. Barry sprung to his feet, having heard the commotion, and he and Kenny stared at the broken faucet and then at Leaf in disbelief.

"Now you have a leak," Leaf said, dropping the wrench.

* * *

><p>"<em>So, Jerry, tell us,<em>" the anchor began, sitting among a roundtable of guests. "_How do you think the death of Torterra is going to affect Paul, not just personally, but also publicly? Is there a chance he may resign from the Championship position, even though he's only held it for a year?_"

"_Well, that's a tough question to answer,_" Jerry mused. "_Although Mr. Rebolledo maintains a stoic image, it's safe to assume he is nothing short of devastated. We know Torterra was his first Pokémon, and they've been competing together for many years. Trainers react differently when one of their Pokémon pass. Some come back stronger than ever, some re-evaluate their training methods, some quit entirely. Whether he decides to resign, however-_"

Dawn breathed in sharply when the television suddenly clicked off, her arms wrapping around Piplup even tighter than before. She glanced up to see Zoey standing behind the sofa, remote in hand, pointing it toward the cable box.

"Dawn, you can't torture yourself like this," Zoey gently chastised, lowering her arm.

"I'm sorry," Dawn apologized. "I meant to watch something mindless, some sitcom or soap opera, but I ended up on the news channel and..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "I also meant to get dressed and go to the office. But that didn't happen either."

"No one's mad," Zoey told her, sitting beside her. "Not even Ursula made a snide comment."

"I've got to be pretty low for even Ursula to think she can't take a swing," Dawn mumbled. "I plan on going back tomorrow."

"Don't go back before you're ready," Zoey said firmly. "Everyone was understanding when Drew was away for _three weeks_ because of his dying, estranged father. I think we can spare you a couple days."

"I don't want to be away any longer," Dawn insisted. "I'll just stew in it if I do. I shouldn't have even stayed home today."

Zoey frowned.

"Did Paul eventually get back to you?" she asked.

"No," Dawn answered shortly. "Did any of you hear from him?"

"Leaf went to his apartment for a while."

"Did she say anything about how he was?"

"You probably don't want to know."

Dawn closed her eyes, leaning her head back.

"Right..." she said. "It's just... It's so upsetting, because I know there were definitively three things Paul loved in this world: Reggie, Cedar, and Torterra. And now one of them is gone."

"You don't include yourself on that list?" Zoey asked.

Dawn let out a bitter laugh.

"Hard to say."

.

.


	14. XIII: In Which Leaf Begins to Crack

.

.

.

Chapter XIII: In Which Leaf Begins to Crack

.

.

_**June 20th, 2009. Early Morning. Opelucid City.**_

Time was something Paul knew he could manage effectively. When he was younger—when he still actively traveled—he regimented his days to where he could cover the most distance, make the most of his training, and still care for himself and his Pokémon. When he came became Champion, however, it was no longer just him and his personal affairs he needed to oversee. He suddenly had an branch of the G-Men to manage, a league to run, and countless other responsibilities and inane obligations to fulfill, all within a complex, corrupted system where linearity did not exist.

That was when control—over himself, over his title—began to slip from his fingers.

Paul could not remember the last time he had squandered an entire day. Yet, Thursday had bled into yesterday, and he could hardly distinguish yesterday from today. In the span of that time, of hours running off his hands and dripping down his wrists, he had not done a single thing of merit. There came a point where he, trying to hold true to what he told Leaf, let out his Pokémon to explain what had happened. He couldn't do it—but somehow, they understood anyway, and were now mourning, too. He hadn't even been able to feed them himself; Agent Gray had done it. They hadn't seen each other (she had the grace to know her superior would not want to be seen), but he knew she was there, at least up until last night when he finally slept for the first time in more than thirty-six hours.

When he woke up that following morning, it occurred to him he had not eaten in nearly as long a time. He rose up, mechanically brushing his fingers through his hair, before opening the door and heading down the hallway. He was not prepared, nor was he happy, to find two visitors in his kitchen.

"Paul!" Barry scrambled to stand from the his seat at the counter. Kenny appeared mildly alarmed, too.

"What are you two doing here?" Paul glowered at them.

"I-I knocked on your door last night to try to tell you we were here, but you said, 'Go away,'" Barry said.

"Why didn't you?"

"Our apartment sprung a leak," Kenny explained shortly.

Paul stared, then shook his head as he let out a short breath.

"Whatever."

He headed for the cupboard, pulling out a box of cereal, and then to the fridge, retrieving milk and orange juice. Kenny and Barry exchanged tentative glances before Barry rounded the other side of the counter to face Paul as he poured his cereal.

"So... how are you doing this morning?" he hesitantly asked. Paul lifted his gaze toward Barry, glaring. He reached for a carton, opening it up.

"Um, Paul, you're pouring orange juice into your cereal," Kenny said, trying to point it out as gently as possible. Paul stopped, setting the carton down and staring at his bowl.

"I don't... even... care." He picked up the bowl, grabbed a spoon, and headed back to his room, slamming the door behind him shut.

"I think I'm starting to get why Leaf wanted us to keep an eye on him," Barry said, and Kenny nodded.

* * *

><p>It was the little things, Drew realized, that he appreciated the most about May.<p>

Rarely did she wake up before him. When she did, it was usually because he'd had trouble sleeping. May seemed to know that—and so, when those mornings came, she did what she could to make them just a little bit easier through small and simple things. She couldn't cook (Drew didn't let her near the kitchen unless someone was there to stop her from throwing odd ingredients into otherwise basic recipes, or from setting the stove aflame); so she took other routes.

Like laying out his toothbrush on the bathroom counter, toothpaste already applied. Just to let him know she was thinking about him.

By the time Drew had washed up and gone through his other morning rituals, he found May had already fed his Pokémon, too; they were just finishing up breakfast. May herself was at her laptop, nibbling on some toast.

"Good morning." Drew swept down to peck her on the lips, catching her by surprise. "Thank you for all this."

"Oh... It was nothing," May said, when she realized what he was referencing. "Were you okay last night?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Drew hastily replied. "I've just had a lot on my mind with my father, and Torterra, and then Leaf being... Leaf."

"What about your father?" May frowned.

"It's nothing to worry about."

"Don't do the same thing to me that Leaf's doing to you," May gently chastised.

Drew's lips tightened. Then, he said, "Really, it's just things I only plan to deal with once we're through with the CIU. So I just have to set it aside in my mind for now."

May didn't look wholly satisfied by this response, but she shrugged, saying, "Okay." She perked up when her phone buzzed, and she picked it up to read the text she had received.

"Who is it?" Drew asked.

"Max," May answered. "He and my parents want to spend time with me today."

"Message him back and tell him you will," Drew said without a moment's hesitation.

"Well, I don't want to dip out on the CIU..." May trailed off.

"It won't be like that," Drew persisted. "You ran the movement while I was gone. You deserve a break. Besides, this is your family, and they're only here 'till, what, Wednesday?"

"I also feel bad because Solidad and Harley and the other panelists are supposed to be flying back today..."

"Don't. They'll understand," Drew assured her. "You don't get to see your family nearly enough, and one day, you might regret that you didn't."

Drew didn't mean for it to sound so morbid; nor did he think to consider what his own words implied, what they reflected upon himself. A long silence fell anyway, punctured only when May let out a long breath and nodded as she picked her cell phone back up.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer," Abby apologized to Nurse Joy wearily, standing separated from her by the front counter.<p>

"Oh, please don't feel the need to apologize, Abby," Nurse Joy assured her. "You've been a huge help these past couple of days. I couldn't imagine how I would have survived them without you."

"We're not in the clear yet, though..."

Nurse Joy smiled sadly.

"I know," she conceded. "But I think I might have a better handle on the situation now, at least."

Abby knew Nurse Joy was only saying this to make her feel better. The situation hadn't changed, and they were both still at a loss of how to handle it. She sighed.

"Well, please call or email if there are any issues you want to talk through," Abby said.

"I will." Nurse Joy nodded. "Thank you for all your hard work. Have a good flight."

"Thank you. Goodbye." Abby turned, heading for the double doors leading outside. Yet, she happened to be intercepted by none other than Ash, who was on his way to the cafeteria with Pikachu.

"Hm? Abby, are you leaving?" he asked, stopping her.

"I'm afraid I am," Abby confirmed tacitly. "As much as I wish I could keep helping out with this..." She paused, considering which word she should use. "... situation, I have to back to my clinic in Hoenn. I need to go pack and check out of my hotel so I can meet with Drew Hayden in about three hours."

"Hey, it's understandable," Ash said. "What about that Houndoom, though?"

"Nurse Joy will have to continue to caring for him on her own." Abby sighed before adding, "Although, I have to say, things aren't looking too bright for him."

"What do you mean?"

"Houndoom has undergone four surgeries now to correct and re-correct his jaw, due to him consistently reversing the fixes we make," she explained. "Houndoom _should_ be sent to a rehabilitation facility, but he must be fully recovered before then. His behavior is making that difficult. It may come that Nurse Joy will have to put down Houndoom, even if it's an ethically gray area, since Houndoom has a trainer."

"Putting down Pokémon?" Ash looked alarmed, and Pikachu folded his ears.

"It's rare, but it happens," Abby said gravely. "And it might happen with Houndoom. If a Pokémon is not returned to its Pokéball after thirty days, the return function will cease to work and the Pokémon would technically have to be re-captured by the trainer if he or she wants to put the Pokémon back in its ball. Some argue this means the Pokémon is free of its trainer, but others rightfully point out that there are some trainers who keep their Pokémon outside of their Pokéballs." Abby smiled weakly as she reached out to pet Pikachu. "Not unlike you and Pikachu."

"Yeah..." Ash trailed off. "Gee, I don't know how I feel about that. I don't think Houndoom should be put down anyway, but..."

Misty appeared in the lobby with Ritchie and Serena in tow, her eyes darting around the area until they found Ash.

"It's a complicated issue," Abby said.

"Ash!" Misty called out to him, grabbing both his and Abby's attention as she approached. "We've been waiting for you."

"Sorry about that," Ash sheepishly apologized. "I woke up late and then I got caught up talking with Abby." He turned his gaze back toward the doctor. "I guess you need to get going, though, huh? Sorry for keeping you."

"That's all right." Abby waved it off. "Good luck with your match Thursday."

"Thanks..." As soon as she had left, Ash turned toward his companions, asking, "Do you think if we talked to Leaf, she could help us find Houndoom's trainer?"

"Uh... what?" Misty blinked.

"I want to find Houndoom's trainer," Ash clarified.

"Mm," Misty intoned, unsure. "Ash, I really... don't... think it's any of our business." She had to force herself to say it. "Besides, you have other things you need to focus on. Like Abby said, your match is on Thursday. You should go to the battle club and get in some last-minute training."

"Er..." Ash was surprised Misty was trying to deter him. "I don't really want to go to the battle club. I don't think I could go back, with what happened..."

"Then..." Misty wracked her brain for another excuse. "Why don't you and I have a battle? It doesn't have to be at the battle club. We can find a field at one of the local parks. Ritchie can ref."

Ash perked up at that.

"You and I battling?" he asked.

"Yeah." Misty nodded.

"Well... okay!" Ash agreed. His stomach rumbled, and he let out an embarrassed laugh, clutching it. "But first, breakfast."

"Sounds like a plan," Misty said with a smile as he passed by. When he was out of earshot, Misty let out a long, relieved breath.

"The match is still happening?" Ritchie asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"Mhm," she hummed, nodding.

"... What makes you think otherwise?" Serena asked, addressing Ritchie.

"When I heard Leaf had called Misty in last night to talk, I was thinking she might want to discuss putting off her and Ash's match," he answered.

"So did I, to be honest," Misty admitted. "But no, it's still on."

"Wait, I'm confused." Serena made a time-out gesture with her hands. "Why would Leaf delay the match?"

"I mean, if you were in Leaf's shoes, would you be willing to leave at a time like this?" Ritchie asked rhetorically. "It's not a matter of her just being able to leave for a day, have a battle, then come back and pick up where she left off. There's a lot on the line here. If she loses, she's done. She no longer has the power to exert control over the situation or help it."

"That doesn't... make sense..." Serena said slowly.

"Yeah, well," Misty began, giving her a quick pat on the shoulder before following Ash, "not many things do here."

* * *

><p>"<em>Good morning. You've reached the non-emergency line for the Pewter City Police Department. If you know your party's extension, please-<em>" Leaf immediately pressed '7' and waited as the phone rang; she had called enough police departments in her years to know how the system worked.

"_Hello, this is Amy on the non-emergency line for the Pewter City P.D. How may I help you?_" the kindly voice of a young woman asked when the call patched through.

"Hi, this is Champion Leaf Greene, ID 012904 in the G-Men. I'm giving this to you in case you want to call the G-Men HQ at the Indigo Plateau to confirm it's me speaking," Leaf began calmly, though seriously.

A pause.

"_M-Ma'am?_" The woman on the other line was evidently surprised she was speaking with the Indigo Champion.

"I need to request a copy of a case file," Leaf continued. "I do not have the case number, but I'm hoping you'll help me find it."

"_... Certainly,_" Amy said, recovering. "_Do you have a time frame for when this case occurred?_"

"It would have been filed about 14 or 15 years ago, so anywhere from 1994 to 1995?" Leaf estimated. "I don't have the full name either, but last name should be Rebolledo. No, wait. Not Rebolledo. Blair. B-L-A-I-R. Rebolledo was the maiden name."

Leaf heard some typing on a computer as the woman searched by her specifications.

"_I have a case filed on March 9th, 1994 for the suicide of a woman named Lucia Rebolledo Blair,_" Amy said after a while.

"That's it. That's exactly what I wanted." Leaf straightened up. "Can you fax me a copy?"

"_I can._"

"Okay. It's..." Leaf scrambled to find the piece of paper upon which she had scrawled the code. "1-212-9876543."

As she read the numbers aloud, Gary appeared in the doorway to the bedroom and leaned against the frame, waiting for her to finish.

"_I'll have it taken care of as soon as possible._"

"Thank you," Leaf breathed. "Thank you very much."

Gary spoke when she hung up.

"So I have news," he began casually.

"Good or bad?" Leaf asked, turning in her chair to face him.

"Can't say. Neutral, really." He shrugged. "I got access to a university lab, but you'll never believe where."

"... Where?"

"Some folks at the Mistralton School of Life Sciences are expecting me this afternoon."

"Really?" Leaf's eyebrows rose. "Mistralton City?"

"Yes, really." He smiled wryly before asking, "You still interested in meeting Summer Morana? The university and the hospital are less than a mile apart, and Cilan lent me the keys to his car."

"That's surprising."

"Life has a way of working out sometimes, I guess."

"No, not that," Leaf corrected. "I meant Cilan giving you his keys."

"Are you coming or not?" Gary rolled his eyes.

"Yeah." Leaf stood up, stretching before pulling her hair back into a ponytail. "I'm still _very_ interested in meeting Summer Morana."

* * *

><p>"Okay, so," Iris began confidently as she strode toward the coffee table in her office with a large, frayed sheet of paper rolled up in her hands, "I did some digging around this office, and I found this." She began to unfurl the sheet, spreading it out on the table. Trip quirked an eyebrow, giving it a once-over before looking at Iris.<p>

"A really big map of Unova?" he inquired.

"It would be nice to mark where these attacks happened and at which locations a Pokémon possibly killed by Houndoom died," Cilan remarked.

"Yeah! That's what I was thinking!" Iris exclaimed before turning and snatching up a small cylindrical container on her desk. "I found some pushpins Drayden left behind in one of the drawers, too, just for that."

"Perhaps we could go a step further and color-code them," Cilan suggested. "White for attacks, red for deaths."

"Mm..." Iris intoned, lifting up the container to take stock. "It's a good idea, but I'm not sure we have enough of those colors."

"It's not a big deal," Trip dismissed. "I'll go to the store now."

He retrieved his bag and headed for the door; yet, as he did, he nearly ran into Georgia, who had decided to come in just as he was going out.

"Sorry," she hastily apologized.

"Georgia?" He looked confused, as did Iris and Cilan. "What are you doing here?"

"I guess..." She sounded uncharacteristically uncertain. "I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to help? I probably should have called first."

"You... want to help?" Iris drew back in surprise.

"I have a laptop," Georgia said, gesturing toward the bag hanging from her own shoulder. "Are you still trying to find if that Houndoom killed any other Pokémon? Do you want to forward me some of those logs?"

"We... We are," Iris replied.

"I can forward you some," Cilan offered.

"Great." Georgia brushed past Trip and sat down, reaching into her bag to pull out her computer. Iris and Cilan exchanged a furtive glance, while Trip watched her with an indiscernible expression. Cilan noticed when Trip's gaze remained unbroken for a moment too long, and he cleared his throat.

"Trip?" he inquired gently, getting the photographer's attention.

"Hm?" Trip looked back at Cilan.

"The store."

"Right." Trip quickly turned and disappeared from view.

* * *

><p>One thing Dawn didn't like: stares.<p>

Staring was different than watching. She was used to be watched; she enjoyed the thrill of standing on stage, of performing with her Pokémon. The eyes of her audience were adoring, and they were welcomed. Stares, on the other hand, were invasive; they were full of disgust, or pity, or confusion, or unsavory intentions.

When she walked into the office that day, her presence was met with a few stares, and immediately, she didn't want to be there. She didn't want sympathy, especially when she was the one who didn't need it—and the person who did deserve it wouldn't want it either. She pressed forward anyway, finding her desk and beginning settle in for the day. Zoey followed her; their workspaces were situated next to each other.

"Hey..." Kenny came up to her cubicle, resting his arms on the low walls. "How are you feeling?"

"Me? Oh, I'm fine." Dawn quickly waved it off. "Glad to be back here, at least. How was everything yesterday?"

"Here? Well, there certainly weren't any celebrations." Kenny shrugged.

"Kenny and I have kind of had a wild night, though," Barry remarked, joining Kenny.

"... Wild night?" Zoey asked dryly.

"So, Leaf came and-" Barry stopped short when Kenny elbowed him in the side, giving him a pointed look. "What? Are we supposed to keep it a secret?"

"Keep what a secret?" Drew asked as he passed by. "What did Leaf do?"

Kenny let out a long breath and briefly glared at Barry.

"Nothing major. She just wanted us to spend a couple of nights with Paul," he said.

"Also, she broke our sink with a wrench," Barry added, and Kenny swore for a moment he might have punched him. Dawn's face fell as realization, as understanding began to set in.

"What?! Why would she do that?" Drew asked.

"... She was trying to give us a legitimate excuse to move in with Paul," Kenny begrudgingly explained. "I'm mad about it, but at the same time, it's hard to be mad about it."

"That's really extreme," Drew said warily. "Why would she be so dead-set on you two..." He trailed off, and his expression changed as a thought occurred to him. "Arceus, does she think Paul's suicidal?"

"Whoa, wait, what?" Barry's eyes widened. "I mean, he was _off_ this morning, but I wouldn't have thought—how would she have even thought that?"

"She was the only person to speak with Paul yesterday," Zoey pointed out.

"It's because of me," Dawn cut in suddenly. "It's because of some things I told her last week. It's not any of our business, and it wasn't even any of mine. Let's not talk about it."

A brief silence followed.

"Dawn..." Kenny began carefully, but she turned away in her chair.

"I didn't want this to be a group affair," she said quietly. "That was a big part of why everything went downhill for him and I."

Zoey's lips tightened.

"It's hard when you're a part of a tight-knit group," she said. "Secrets don't stay secret, and once all fifteen of us know, they're at risk of escaping our circle—too many people know by then."

"Amazing how we've managed to keep one then, isn't it?" Drew remarked. The comment garnered a couple surprised gazes but no words. Their attention, however, was drawn toward the door as a guest walked through, his arrival being met with a few gasps.

"Why does everyone always act so shocked when a Champion shows up here?" Ursula half-sneered under her breath. She wasn't sitting far from Dawn and the others. "Shouldn't this be expected by now?"

Her remark was ignored as Drew rose up to greet their visitor.

"Hi, Wallace," he said, shaking his hand.

"Good morning, Drew," Wallace greeted pleasantly. He cast his eyes about the room. "Is May not here today?"

"No, she's with her family." Drew shook his head.

"Ah, I see." He smiled. "I, myself, had the pleasure of breakfast this morning with my cousin. He's packing now, to my understanding. When must you leave to take him and the other panelists to the airport?"

Drew quickly checked his phone.

"Two hours," he said.

"More than enough time to write up a joint statement about the CIU and the G-Men working together to carry out an investigation regarding Thursday's events, wouldn't you agree?" Wallace inquired.

Drew's lip twitched into a smile, too, as relief crossed his expression. Zoey stood up, realizing this was her area.

"Definitely," she said.

"Yes," Drew added, agreeing. "Thank you, Wallace. We really appreciate it."

Dawn soon tuned out the conversation. She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone, typing out the plea "Please call me" before hitting send.

_**June 20th, 2009. Noon. Mistralton City.**_

Hospitals were hit-and-miss when it came to visitations. Some bent the moment they learned she was the Indigo Champion. Others held their resolve, refusing to let her inside at will so easily. Leaf wasn't sure what type of hospital the one in Mistralton City would be, but she had an idea the moment the receptionist's face lit up when she saw her.

"Madam Champion... ?!" the receptionist appalled when she approached the front desk.

"Hi," Leaf greeted amicably. "I'm here to see a patient: Summer Morana?"

"O-Of course. Let me look her up." The receptionist turned to her computer, typing. "She's in room—Oh..."

Leaf furrowed her eyebrows.

"That's not a number."

"Ms. Morana is a minor," the receptionist explained. "So I must request permission from a parent to allow a visitor who is a non-relative."

"How long will that take?"

"Just a couple minutes." The receptionist picked up the phone and dialed a number off the screen. "Hello, Mrs. Morana? This is the front desk. Your daughter has a very special visitor. ... Who? Champion Leaf Greene! I need your approval, however in order for me to..." She stopped, falling silent, and Leaf sensed something was awry.

"What's the matter?" Leaf asked in a low, hurried voice, but the receptionist gestured for her to be quiet.

"No?" The receptionist appeared confused, and Leaf's heart dropped.

"Wait. Let me talk to her," Leaf urged, and the receptionist hesitated before handing her the phone. "Hi, Mrs. Morana? This is Leaf Greene."

"_Why do you want to see my daughter?_"

"I... just want to chat, that's all." Leaf was taken aback by the tone of hostility.

"_Well, she's not in a talkative mood right now._"

"Is now a bad time? When should I come back?" Leaf pressed.

"_Never._" Leaf was shocked as the line went dead; the mother had hung up on her. She drew the receiver away from her head, staring at it.

"I'm sorry," the receptionist apologized, taking back the phone.

"Is there nothing else you can do?" Leaf asked her, half-pleading.

The receptionist shrugged.

"Hospital policy," she said.

_**June 20th, 2009. Noon. Opelucid City.**_

Iris looked up in confusion when the fax machine roared to life, and she glanced toward the others when it began to print.

"Did one of the Nurse Joys we spoke to say she was going to fax us logs?" she asked.

"No... ?" Trip answered, unsure.

"That's probably from Leaf," Cilan said. "She asked me for the code to our fax machine this morning."

Iris stood up and headed toward the machine, waiting for the document to finish transmitting. The machine soon hummed and went silent again; only two pages were printed. Iris lifted the sheets out of the tray and was surprised to find it was a copy of an old police report—from Pewter City, of all places. She read further, and a name quickly jumped out at her. Her breath caught.

"Iris, what is it?" Georgia asked.

"Nothing," Iris said quietly as she turned around, opened her desk, and slid the papers inside. "Cilan's right. It's for Leaf."

_**June 20th, 2009. Afternoon. Mistralton City.**_

Leaf had to weigh her options.

She had gone to a nearby coffee shop to mull over what had happened and what she should do. She knew she could get in to see Summer no problem if she changed her motivations; or, rather, if she expressed her true ones. They could turn away a friendly visitor, but they could not turn away a G-Men agent working on a case. A flash of her ID, and she'd be in the elevator and on her way. It wasn't a stunt Leaf was sure she wanted to pull, though.

There were several ways Leaf could read into the mother denying her visitation, one being that the mother was merely being protective of her sickly 17-year-old daughter. Forcing visitation, in that case, would be in bad taste. The other scenario, however, was that the daughter had something to hide, and her mother knew it. Leaf waving her G-Men agent title around would then be justified. Even so, Leaf wasn't keen on scaring a sick teenager and her undoubtedly worried mother into talking. It would have been much easier for everyone if she had been allowed into the room as a visitor, so she could get the information she needed in a casual atmosphere.

She knew there was one thing she needed to remember, however: A Pokémon had died. And not just any Pokémon, but the Pokémon of a friend and Champion. And there were many other Pokémon that had possibly been killed and attacked. This was what drove her back to the hospital an hour after she left, now with a much more serious demeanor.

The same receptionist she spoke with earlier sighed when she saw Leaf had returned.

"I'm really sorry, Madam Champion," she said. "As much as I wish I could help, non-relatives are not allowed to visit without parent permission."

"I'm no longer here on a charitable visit." Leaf flashed her badge. "I'm here to interview Summer Morana."

The receptionist's eyes widened.

"I..." The receptionist looked bewildered by the change. "She's in Room 512." She pushed a clipboard and pen toward Leaf. "Please sign in."

Leaf nodded and quickly scrawled her information on the paper before thanking the receptionist and heading toward the elevators. Now, Leaf realized, she had to consider what her approach would be. The mother would certainly be unhappy Leaf had come, but would she roll over when Leaf said she was there as a part of the G-Men, or would further convincing be required? Intimidation was never Leaf's favorite method, even if she was quite good at it. Lance had been her teacher, after all.

Once on the fifth floor, Leaf didn't stop to knock when she found Room 512. A woman—whom Leaf could only assume was Summer Morana's mother, considering her graying blonde hair and evidence of age in her face—sprung up in alarm when she saw Leaf standing in the doorway.

"I didn't give you permission to be here," the woman spat, confronting Leaf.

"I no longer need it," Leaf said calmly, though firmly. "I'm here to interview Summer Morana as part of the G-Men's investigation into the death of Paul Rebolledo's Torterra last Thursday."

The woman's face paled and she backed away. Leaf inclined her head, resisting the urge to smirk. Her intuition, it seemed, was correct. They did have something to hide.

"You may stay in the room for the interview; however-" Leaf began again, but she was cut off.

"-Mom?" The voice was small, frail. Leaf turned her eyes to see Summer Morana for the first time. She was struggling to sit up in her hospital bed, and doing so appeared painful. Her hair was dull, flat, and thin; her skin was pale and clammy. A strange purple mark extended up her arm, and Leaf couldn't tell if it was a bruise or something else.

"Summer..." The mother's gaze softened as she returned to her daughter's beside. Leaf felt disarmed, now unsure of what to say or do. She couldn't bring herself to be forceful when standing in the same room as a dying teenage girl—and Leaf knew from the way Summer looked that death was hanging above her head.

"Summer," Leaf started, but she stopped, struggling to figure out how to sensitively phrase her question. "What are the doctors treating you for?"

"They don't know," the mother said stiffly, before Summer could answer. "She just got sick one day."

"Just randomly?" Leaf pressed.

"Yes," the mother insisted.

"Then you don't think this has anything to do with Summer's Houndoom attacking her several weeks ago?"

A pregnant silence followed, and Summer shriveled up, bringing her legs closer to her. The mother's gaze remained sharp, though fearful. Leaf's suspicions had been incited, but she realized the answers she needed weren't going to come easy.

"What are you doing here?" Summer finally asked, quiet.

"I'm just here to ask some questions," Leaf answered simply.

"Am I in trouble?"

Leaf stared, hesitating.

"No," she decided. A pause. "Summer, what happened when Houndoom attacked you? What led up to it?"

"Nothing," the mother interjected. "Nothing happened."

"I'm not talking to you, Mrs. Morana, I'm talking to your daughter," Leaf just short of snapped, and the mother clamped up. Summer appeared unsure, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Why are you asking?" she asked.

"Summer, we think we might have your Houndoom," Leaf said frankly. "A couple nights ago, a Houndoom appeared in a parking lot in Opelucid City and attacked a trainer, a friend of mine, actually. Paul Rebolledo, the Champion of the Sinnoh Region, came to her rescue, but his Torterra's throat was punctured by Houndoom's teeth, and Torterra ended up dying that evening. Houndoom is still alive, and he's staying at a Pokémon Center in Opelucid City. We're trying to find some answers."

Summer looked shaken upon hearing this news. Her mother was upset, too, but she appeared to be at a loss for words.

"I don't have any to give," Summer finally replied. "That's not my Houndoom."

"No?" Leaf turned her head.

"No," Summer repeated. "My Houndoom would never. He's headstrong, but he would never kill another Pokémon. I've raised him since he was a Houndour, he would never..."

"But Houndoom attacked you," Leaf reminded. Summer was beginning to look more nervous.

"That's... That's..." she stammered. Leaf reached into her bag and pulled out the most recent issue of _Coordinator's Weekly._

"I'm sorry to show you something so graphic," Leaf said, holding the cover out to her. "But this is serious. If this is your Houndoom, I need to know it. And if it is, I need to know more about the attack."

Summer's lip quivered.

"I don't know what to tell you," she said, wrapping her arms around herself. "My Houndoom is a good Pokémon. He wouldn't. He just wouldn't."

Leaf was hitting a wall. It was difficult to get far when she wouldn't even admit the Houndoom was hers. Leaf's inward considerations of what to do next were interrupted when she felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. She pulled it out, glancing at the screen. It was a message from Gary, and it caused Leaf's heard to drop.

'The sample tested positive. Houndoom has Virus X.'

"Is something wrong?" the mother demanded suddenly, and Leaf's head snapped up.

"N-No." Leaf's voice wavered. "Um..." She dug around in her bag again and pulled out a pen. She opened her copy of _Coordinator's Weekly_ and scribbled her number on the inside of the cover before handing it to Summer.

"I think there's more for you to say, Summer," Leaf said, trying to keep her tone even. "Please call me when you're willing to say it. For now, I... I need to go."

_**June 20th, 2009. Afternoon. Opelucid City.**_

"I think my greatest regret of this trip," Harley began as he pulled his luggage out of the trunk of Drew's rental car, "is that I never got Robert's number."

He and Drew were standing near the curb outside an airport terminal. The other fliers—Solidad, Robert, Nando, and Abby—were a short distance away and, having already retrieved their luggage, were waiting for Drew and Harley to catch up. Drew glowered at Harley as he shut the trunk door.

"You know Robert's married, right?" Drew asked.

"Has that ever stopped me before?" Harley replied with a smirk.

"I didn't know you went after married men, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." Drew shook his head. "I don't know how Solidad puts up with you."

"I don't how how May puts up with you," Harley threw back.

"Because we love each other?" Drew answered as though it were obvious.

"Well, there you go," Harley said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Same for good ol' Sol and I."

Drew gave him a strange look but followed him to join the other panelists. The light conversation between the other four halted when they arrived, and Robert was the first to speak again.

"Thank you, Drew, for inviting us to be here," he said graciously. "I wish you and the rest of your staff the best of luck."

"As do I," Nando added. "I excitedly await the day contest halls open in Unova."

"Thank you, Robert, Nando," Drew said. "Thank you to all of you, really. The panel wouldn't have been what it was without you."

"Well, now that we're all here, I guess we should go get checked in." Abby's tone carried a stiff sadness; the vibrancy that was present in her the day she arrived had fallen by the wayside. The others agreed as they followed her inside. Solidad, however, lingered behind for a moment longer.

"So this is goodbye for now, huh?" Drew asked.

"I suppose so," Solidad sighed. "I feel bad leaving at a time like this."

"Don't worry about it," Drew assured her. "I'm feeling better now that Wallace has been by. I'll handle it fine."

"I know you will." Solidad nodded. "It's not the just the CIU, though. So much has happened in the past few days, with Torterra, with your father..."

Drew pursed his lips.

"Well, it hasn't all been bad," he said. "It's been stressful, but I suppose it's put things in perspective—in a good way."

"Perspective?"

Drew paused.

"Would you like to know a secret?" he finally asked.

Solidad raised her eyebrows, but said, "Shoot."

Drew was silent for a moment, considering how he should word his response.

"When we've finished up with the CIU..." he began carefully, "... I'm going to ask May to marry me."

Solidad's jaw nearly dropped.

"What? You're serious?" When he nodded, she asked, "When did you decide this?"

"It's been stirring around in my head for more than a week now, thanks to something my father said—as surprising as that might seem," Drew answered. "I started to think about it a lot more seriously at his funeral, but I knew for sure this morning."

"W-Well, I'm..." Solidad stumbled over her own words and laughed. "I'm thrilled! I've always wanted for this to happen, and I supposed I'm in shock that it is now. Of course, it's very like you to tell me something like this right before I'm supposed to leave."

"Sorry," Drew apologized. "Just thought you might want to know."

"I'm certainly glad I do." Solidad smiled wryly before adding, "But don't think that means I won't want to hear more about this later."

"Noted."

Solidad turned to leave, but she stopped herself, facing him again.

"One more thing," she said. "When the special contest comes—I _will_ be back."

_**June 20th, 2009. Afternoon. Mistralton City.**_

Leaf felt like she couldn't breathe.

Her chest had become constricted, and she was beginning to feel lightheaded. She had left Summer Morana's room in a hurry, knowing it would be bad if she ended up breaking down in front of her. _That_ would surely lead to a few unwanted headlines.

Leaf found an unoccupied family restroom down the hallway and she quickly opened it up and locked herself inside. She immediately went to the sink, clutching the porcelain edges, now trying to gasp in air. She reached for her phone again, her hand shaking as she dialed a number and lifted the device to her ear.

"Please pick up," she pleaded. "Please pick up."

"_Leaf?_"

"Lance," Leaf bleated.

"_What's the matter?_" he asked, immediately sensing something was awry.

"I just—I don't—" Her voice was growing watery, and she stopped to swallow. She hated crying in front of Lance, even if it was over the phone. "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to handle this anymore."

"_Handle what? Leaf, please explained what's happened,_" he said firmly. "_And breathe._"

"Okay, so—" Leaf's voice remained uneven as she turned and leaned against the wall, trying to stabilize herself. "—so, Gary's thesis. I don't know if I ever told you anything about it or if he mentioned it to you, but it was about this virus. It's this really weird virus that makes Pokémon stronger and more aggressive. Last month, one of the Lileep he and the other researchers had found it in was stolen from Mauville University. Then—then there were these attacks in Unova, and one of them was a Houndoom, but it escaped before it could be properly quarantined. And this Houndoom, we think it's attacked other Pokémon, and we think it's the same one that killed Torterra."

"_And this virus... ?_" Lance calmly prompted.

"Gary went to see Houndoom yesterday, because he was suspicious." Leaf still couldn't shake the sick knots forming in her stomach. "He thought it might have this virus, and his initial tests said yes, but he wasn't sure—and I guess I was just hoping for the best, pretending it wouldn't happen, but Gary just told me it's for sure. It has the virus. But this not just innocent stat increases and an attitude problem. Iris has been doing some digging with Cilan and Trip, and they think there's other Pokémon. They think there's other Pokémon that have died. This virus, in modern Pokémon, it's dangerous. Gary said it can affect different species of Pokémon and humans. I saw Houndoom's trainer just now. She's dying, Lance. I think maybe she has it, too, and it's killing her. There was another trainer, also attacked by a Pokémon, that died."

Leaf began to sink, sliding her legs out against the tile.

"Who knows how many other Pokémon have been infected? Who knows how many other Pokémon are running around carrying this? There's been eighteen cases of attacks recently. All those trainers... and what about the ones we don't know about?" She posed the question weakly, afraid to think of the answer. "Ash and I are supposed to battle on Thursday. I can't leave now. I can't..."

She buried her face in her hands.

"_Leaf..._"

"I think I understand now," she cried. "I think I understand why. Why it's this way, why matches are thrown to the Champion, why nothing gets done, ever. Because things like this happen. I couldn't leave this to Ash. But I don't want to... I don't want to get stuck in the rut where I get to hang onto my title because I say so. It's not right."

"_What about Iris and Paul?_"

"Arceus, don't even—" Leaf let out a bitter laugh. Yet, her lips quivered, and her eyes watered again. When they spilled, Leaf quickly wiped them away. "Lance, I think Paul might be in trouble. That's the other thing. Dawn entrusted me with trying to get him help. I don't know if I'm doing it right, but I have to do something, and I can't leave him now. He said something that really scared me, that told me he didn't care if he was alive or dead—and I don't know if he's going to hurt himself or not, but I can't take that risk, and I can't risk losing on Thursday, and losing the access I need to make sure he doesn't."

"_Then don't risk it, plain and simple,_" Lance said.

"It's not that easy. I don't want to screw this up. Ash getting a fair match, Ash winning, Ash becoming the Champion... It's a shot at making things better. It can begin to set things straight."

"_And it won't matter, if this virus is as serious as you make it sound,_" Lance pressed. "_Leaf, I realize you have your ideals; I realize you and Iris and Paul want so much to make things better. But you have to face the truth of the matter: You need to push that match back, and you need to solve this._"

"What will I say?" Leaf asked, almost angrily. "What excuse can I give? And the Hoenn League is in July. It's not like I can push it back very far. It'll overlap, and it'll mess everything up, and then the chance for Ash to become Champion will be unsalvageable."

"_Sacrifices have to be made,_" Lance said. "_You have to be willing to let go. If you're not willing to publicly talk about this virus yet, and I wouldn't, then use Torterra's death as a scapegoat. Use that as your reason for putting the match on hold; it will buy you time to sort things out. As for the Hoenn League—talk to Wallace. No, I'll talk to Wallace. I'll tell him to put the Hoenn League on hold, too._"

Leaf's breath caught.

"Another... another standstill?" The horror in her tone was evident, as the reality of how serious the situation was began to set in. "Like the one seven years ago?"

A brief silence followed.

"_You must do what you must,_" he finally said.

Leaf pushed her hand through her hair before letting it fall to her side. Her tears had stopped.

"I know. You're right," she said quietly.

"_I will come and I will help._"

"No," Leaf rejected. "I have to do this on my own. I'm going to fix this. We'll talk to the other trainers. We'll find the other Pokémon. We'll make a cure. But I'm not letting go of the match with Ash. I've come too far to let it go. It will happen, even if it doesn't happen now. I said I wouldn't let you down, and I won't."

_**March 18th, 2003. Evening. Viridian City.**_

"You know, you'd think someone who works in law enforcement wouldn't break the law," Gary commented dryly, his arms folded as he watched Leaf begin the climb up a chain-link fence, right next to a rusting sign that read 'No Trespassing.' Leaf paused and threw a flirty smile his way.

"You'd think wouldn't you?" she said teasingly. She moved a foot up and, realizing Gary still hadn't budged, glowered at him. "Oh, come on. What's changed? I would expect Cilan or Drew to act like a straightedge, not you."

Gary shrugged, but smirked as he jumped onto the fence, too, climbing over the top with much greater ease than Leaf. She huffed. She should have known. He was wanting to show off.

Leaf finished her climbed to the top and tried to position herself to jump to the other side, but doing do caused a dull pain to suddenly ripple through her lower abdomen. She gritted her teeth, trying to ignore it. Although it had been a year since Domino had tried to kill her, there were times the pain returned, when she twisted her body the right—or rather, the wrong—way. Gary seemed to notice, and he helped catch her on the way down.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she mumbled.

They had been there many times before. Neither had known an abandoned amusement park was in the area, but when they stumbled across it one evening, they couldn't resist taking a look around. Now, it was where they spent much of their time together. It was a place they could meet, just the two of them; a nice middle point between Pallet Town and the Indigo Plateau.

"You know," Leaf began as they passed by an old carousel, her hand catching his, "when I'm Champion, I should consider restoration projects a part of my to-do list. After I dismantle the government and put it back together, of course."

"Will you still have that kind of power after that?" Gary questioned.

"I think it'll be reduced, but I don't think it will ever go away. Not all of it," Leaf replied. "I don't know. I haven't figured it all out yet. I wish I could talk more to Iris and Paul about it, and I would if it weren't for Lance and the others essentially giving us gag orders. And I get that. Things would fall apart in a bad way if it came out that the next generation of Champions have already been lined up."

"Yeah, speaking of which, how are they planning on making that happen?" Gary asked.

"Lance hasn't talked about it yet, actually," she admitted. "I know whatever it is, though, it will make sense. It has to. It begins to unravel if it doesn't. There's a reason Lance erased me from the story. Three kids from Napaj's most famous conspiracy becoming Champions would raise eyebrows."

They settled down on a grassy hill overlooking an outdoor performance stage, the roof of which had since collapsed in on itself. The hill was peppered with both weeds and wildflowers.

"So what was it you wanted to talk about?" Leaf asked after a moment.

Gary paused, hesitating.

"I... uh..." he began, unsure of what exactly he should say. "I got an internship offer."

Leaf broke into a smile and let out a short laugh.

"Gary, that's great," she said.

"It's in Sinnoh."

Leaf's smile diminished, as she suddenly realized why he was acting so serious.

"Oh."

"Professor Rowan gave me a call a couple days ago and told me someone had donated a couple Pokémon fossils. He thought I might be interested in returning for another internship to study them," Gary explained. "I told him I'd think about it."

"Think about it?" Leaf scoffed. "What's there to think about? Of course you have to take it. Fossils are your thing. You want to be a paleontologist and research ancient Pokémon."

"Sure, but..."

"But what?" she demanded.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," she said, quickly waving the question off. "I'm used to it being the Lance and Leaf brigade. And if you stay behind because of me, I will punch you in the face every single day, and you will think to yourself, 'I should have gone to Sinnoh, because now my nose is broken.'"

He laughed and leaned in to kiss her.

"Thanks," he said when he pulled away.

Leaf smiled crookedly and folded her arms into herself.

"So... when are you supposed to leave?" she asked.

"About that," Gary began tepidly. "It's two days—early Thursday morning. So, if I go, tonight's actually the last time we'll see each other in a while, because I'll have to pack."

Leaf nodded slowly. A sense of sadness began to swell inside her, but she didn't let it rise to her face and affect her expression. She threw her head back and hummed, thinking.

"Well, if tonight's your last night, then I guess we ought to make it a good one," she decided.

Gary raised an eyebrow.

"And what would you suggest, Ms. Greene?" he asked.

Leaf's lips spread into a sly smile as she brought them close to his again.

"I can think of a few ideas."

_**March 19th, 2003. Morning. Indigo Plateau.**_

"Where were you last night?" Lance asked when Leaf walked into his office that morning, the first he had seen of her since yesterday afternoon. He didn't impose a curfew, nor did he intend to, but it was unusual for Leaf to disappear all night. In fact, he had begun to worry something bad might have happened to her not long before she walked inside.

"I was just hanging out with Gary," she replied, shrugging as she bent down to a mini fridge (her idea, not Lance's) stationed beneath a desk and pulled out a bottle of water. Lance grunted in response but returned to his work.

Leaf sat down and unscrewed the cap of her bottle, taking a drink. She had figured the conversation had ended and now she and Lance would go about their normal, daily business—but he soon spoke again.

"Did you use protection?" he asked in a deadpan voice.

Leaf coughed, nearly spitting out her water, though a little drop dribbled down her chin.

"_What?_" she asked, wiping her mouth.

"There are far too many young couples in Napaj who get pregnant while they're teenagers," Lance said tiredly, lifting his eyes toward her. "Please don't be one of them."

"Arceus, Lance, can we not have this conversation right now?" Leaf groaned. "In fact, can we not have this conversation _ever_?"

"Just making sure."

"Well, there's nothing for you to worry about," Leaf grumbled. "Nothing happened, anyway."

"That's a lie," Lance said bluntly.

"Okay, _yes_," Leaf conceded. "But it only happened one time."

"That's also a lie."

"Are you just going to assume everything I say is a lie?" Leaf huffed.

"Liars can't lie to liars, Leaf," Lance said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Well, whatever. We _have_ been safe this entire time, so let's just drop it," Leaf said, lifting her water bottle up to her lips again. Her skin had flushed a light shade of pink; she was still embarrassed by the topic.

Lance didn't accuse her of lying this time.

"Good," he said simply, "because you getting pregnant now would ruin your chances for becoming Champion."

Leaf quirked an eyebrow.

"Chances?" she challenged. "I thought it was pretty much set in stone at this point."

"It never is."

Leaf turned her head.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" she asked.

Lance paused. Then, he sighed and set down the pen with which he was writing, so he could give her his full attention.

"I'm releasing you from duty in the G-Men," he said plainly, and Leaf felt as though a stone had dropped into the pit of her stomach.

"W-What?" She scrambled to stand. "What did I do wrong? Is this about Gary and I? Because, just so you know-"

"-Leaf, I _do not_ care whether you and Gary are sleeping together or not, as long as it doesn't result in a fetus," Lance cut her off, pressing a hand to his face. "And you didn't do anything wrong, either. I'm releasing you so you can go travel—so you can go make a name for yourself."

Leaf felt her initial panic subside, though confusion soon replaced it.

"A name for myself?"

"You are 16-years-old, and the only merits you have are eight gym badges for a league you never entered," Lance said bluntly, and Leaf looked annoyed.

"I think I have a lot more merits than that," she contested. "Like, you know, having a large hand in taking down Team Rocket, the largest criminal ring in Napaj. But that's whatever, I guess."

"It's an invisible achievement," Lance said calmly. "I know what you've done. The rest of the world doesn't, and they never will. You don't need to prove yourself to me; you need to prove yourself to everyone else."

"... You need to justify making me the Champion," Leaf said, finally understanding what he meant. When he nodded, she asked, "What can I do?"

"Win a league. Become a Top Coordinator. Climb to the top of the Battle Tower. Claim victories in the Don George Battle Club tournaments. Conquer a Battle Frontier," Lance named multiple suggestions. "You are a talented trainer, but you need something to show for it. Koga plans on retiring in a couple years. You have until then to build your résumé, so there will not be a question of your qualifications when you become a member of the Elite Four and, later, a Champion."

"A Battle Frontier?" Leaf perked up.

"Yes."

"Like the one in Sinnoh?" she pressed.

"If you'd like."

Leaf had to bite her lip to contain her smile.

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll go pack now. I'll leave as soon as I can." She turned away from him, toward the door, but paused before facing him once more. "Lance?"

"Mhm?" he intoned.

"I won't let you down," she said, resolved.

_**June 20th, 2009. Early Evening. Opelucid City.**_

Misty had a feeling when her phone rang.

She had been half-expecting this call all day. Still, it didn't stop the dread from beginning to pool inside her stomach when she checked the caller ID and confirmed her suspicions. She excused herself from the conversation with Ash and company and stepped a respectful distance away before answering.

"Leaf?" she inquired.

"_I need you to send Ash to the Opelucid Gym as soon as possible,_" Leaf said flatly. "_He and I need to talk._"

Misty pursed her lips.

"Is this about what I think it is?" she asked in a low voice. Her question, however, was met with silence, and she knew that meant 'yes.'

"I'll let him know," Misty said quietly before hanging up.

* * *

><p>The last time Iris had seen Leaf vulnerable and afraid was seven years earlier, when she laid bleeding on the floor of a speeding train, tears in corners of her glossy, dilated eyes as she cried barely intelligible apologies to Gary. Iris had helped treat her. Since then, however, Leaf had maintained an image of total self-assurance—and when it wasn't there, she made sure no one knew it through her sharp tongue and temper.<p>

Now, Leaf sat curled up in one of the arm chairs in Iris's office, her arms drawn around herself. She did little to conceal the doubt in her countenance, and that unsettled Iris. If Leaf was visibly nervous, then they all should be.

"So let me get this straight," Georgia began, addressing Gary. "What we're looking at is some kind of virus that makes Pokémon stronger _and_ more violent?"

"That's the general gist, yes," Gary said. "There is minimal research on this virus, and the research that does exist involves a set of Pokémon that lived millions of years ago, and while they were more aggressive after testing positive for the infection, it was not anywhere near this level. We know it affects modern Pokémon differently, and it probably affects humans differently, too."

"How so?" Cilan asked.

"I don't think the virus turns humans violent, for one," Leaf spoke up. "Summer Morana was paranoid and in a lot of pain, but she wasn't unpleasant. I think it just... makes them sick and eventually kills them."

"We've had one person die, Leaf, and we're not sure if it was because of the virus. We can't jump to that conclusion yet," Gary contended.

"Summer is going to die, Gary," Leaf retorted. "I know it. It's coming."

"We're not even sure Summer has the virus," Gary pointed out.

"I am." Leaf remained firm. "You said Houndoom had purple spots on its skin. So did Summer. It's the same thing."

"We need to test for it."

"Summer's not going to give us a sample of her blood," Leaf said.

"It doesn't have to be Summer," Gary persisted. "There are sixteen other living victims we know of. We need to talk to all of them, and if they show the same signs and symptoms, and if we can get just one sample from one of them..."

"I agree, Leaf," Wallace said. "We need facts, not speculations. We must have our information straight and clear for when we go to the public with this. To do otherwise can cause great damage."

"W-When we go to the public?" Iris asked.

"If this virus is indeed as serious as it seems, we will need to issue a public safety warning," Wallace explained. "People need to know what the virus is, how it is spread, and what to do if you believe you or a Pokémon has been infected. And medical providers will need to know how to diagnose and treat it."

"There is no treatment," Gary mumbled. "Not yet."

"'Yet' being the key word," Wallace emphasized. "If we can assemble of team of researchers, yourself included Mr. Oak, then we can begin seeking means for treatment."

"My hands are tied," Gary said. "We can't run experimental tests and treatments with Houndoom because it belongs to Summer Morana, and we would need her permission to do anything. Leaf said Summer won't even admit Houndoom belongs to her."

"After thirty days, he won't anymore," Wallace said.

"What?" Gary gave him a strange look.

"Of course!" Cilan's eyes widened with realization. "If a Pokémon is not returned to its Pokéball after thirty days, the Pokémon technically no longer belongs to the trainer."

"That's such an... ugh!" Iris shook her head. "My Haxorus was never in his Pokéball as an Axew, and he was never not mine. Most of the people in my village choose to raise and train Pokémon without the use of Pokéballs. The only reason any of my Pokémon have Pokéballs is because it's easier when I travel and because I live in the city now, and it's expected here."

"Is it an ethical complication?" Wallace asked rhetorically. "Definitely. But it is something, I feel, we may need to take advantage of. If I'm correct, the last time Houndoom would have been in his Pokéball was the day he escaped the police station in Mistralton City, correct?"

"Yeah..." Trip stood up and went to check his bulletin board. "May 28th."

"Then thirty days will have passed by June 27th," Wallace said. "A week from today."

"So, until then, we have to focus on learning as much as we can from the trainers who've been infected—or, possibly infected." Leaf begrudgingly corrected herself. "And we need to figure out where this virus came from, if it's really from the Lileep stolen from Mauville University."

There was a knock at the door. Leaf already knew who it was.

"Come in, Ash, Misty," she said. The door opened, and the very people she named slid inside. Ash stood at the forefront, yet he received no friendly greeting. Most of the people in the room had trouble looking him in the eye.

"Ash..." Leaf began carefully, but then he spoke.

"I already know why we're here," he said. "At least, I think I do."

"You do?" Leaf inquired. Ash exchanged a quick glance with Misty.

"Our match is being put on hold?" he asked.

Leaf's lips tightened.

"Yes," she said.

"And so is the Hoenn League?"

"Yeah..." Leaf said, quieter. "A press release is going out tonight. I wanted to tell you in person. I promise we will battle, but it won't be now."

Ash nodded slowly, to show his understanding. Then, he asked, "What's going on?"

"A lot of things," Leaf answered. "It's nothing you need to worry about."

"I'd like to know," Ash said, straightforward.

"You don't need to know," Leaf countered.

"Something's happening. I can tell something's happening. I mean—" He stopped, shaking his head. "—You guys are friends, and I can't stand to just sit in the dark and not know what's wrong. I want to help."

Iris had just about had enough. She dropped a hand into her lap and looked straight at Leaf.

"Leaf-" she began, but she was cut off.

"-Iris," Leaf warned. Iris clamped her mouth, looking annoyed.

"The concern is appreciated, Ash," Leaf continued, "but it would be best if you sit this out."

"I don't know how to sit things out," Ash admitted.

"Then maybe you ought to finally go home," Leaf said. "I'm sure your Kalosian friends would appreciate that."

Ash fell back, and he cast his gaze toward the ground.

"... Right," he mumbled. "Well, thanks."

He turned to leave. Misty lingered behind, and when he was gone, she turned a hard gaze on Leaf.

"What are you hoping to achieve with this?" Misty angrily demanded. "What good is ignoring our history going to do?"

"I'm not ignoring it," Leaf argued. "This is a separate issue."

"Ash is the-"

"-He _can't_ be for this," Leaf cut her off. "_You_ told me that Ash said he didn't want to be chosen. I'm not going to deny him that; if he's going to replace me as Champion, he's going to do it because he earned it. Until then, we have to rise up to fulfill our responsibilities _on our own_. We can't rely on Ash this time."

"How do you know it's a separate issue?" Misty pressed.

"What?"

"The last and the only other time the league came to a standstill was, funnily enough, seven years ago when we first came together," Misty said. "This is a repeat of what happened."

Leaf let out a strange laugh.

"A repeat?" she said. "Ash hasn't had any strange visions that would lead me to believe he's supposed to take the reins."

"Yet," Misty said with a sharp click of her tongue.

Leaf stared.

"On a less abstract note," Leaf went on, "if a word of this gets out to the media before we're ready to address it..." She stopped, collecting herself. "This has been seven years in the making. We have come too far to drop the ball now. _I_ have come too far."

* * *

><p>Kenny and Barry both heard the television on in the background when they walked into Paul's apartment, and they knew it meant one thing: Paul was out of his room again. They exchanged quick glances before heading into the living room, where, sure enough, Paul stood in front of the television with his arms folded.<p>

"Hey, what's-" Barry stopped short when the commercial ended and the news broadcast returned.

"_Breaking tonight,_" the anchor spoke. "_The G-Men and Contest in Unova movement have come out with a statement about the death of Paul Rebolledo's Torterra, saying they are launching a full investigation into the incident. Yet, in a surprising move, the investigation has put a temporary hold on all league activities, including the Championship match between challenger Ash Ketchum and Champion Leaf Greene that was supposed to take place Thursday, and the Hoenn League that was set to begin July 11th._"

Paul shook his head and went to sit down, though he said nothing. He didn't bother to acknowledge Kenny and Barry's arrival either.

"Paul?" Barry inquired, but he was ignored.

Kenny stared at the screen blankly for a while, unsure of what to make of the news, and then at Paul, whose expression remained listless as he continued watching the report. Kenny went to set his bag down on the counter, but he stopped when he saw Paul's phone laying atop it, with an unanswered message from Dawn reading, 'Please call me.'

* * *

><p>Drew was nearly shaking by the time he picked up the phone and dialed Leaf's number. He had risen to his feet, pacing the room as it rang, while May remained situated on the sofa, her gaze flicking between him and the television screen.<p>

"_What is it, Drew?_" Leaf asked tiredly when she picked up.

"Leaf, what is this? What is happening?" Drew demanded, turning toward the screen. "The Kanto Championship match and the Hoenn League are being put on hold? Because of Torterra's death?"

"_Yes._"

"Why wasn't I told about this earlier?" he asked. "Wallace met with Zoey and I earlier to release a joint statement."

"_Some things have changed since then,_" she answered vaguely.

"And again, why wasn't I told about it?" Drew did little to conceal his frustration. "The CIU and the G-Men are supposed to be working together to determine what happened—at least, that's what we told the public. Or rather, what _you_ told the public, with the addendum that the league is coming to another standstill."

"_Look, I get you're upset-_"

"-Upset is an understatement."

"_What do you want me to do?_" Leaf sighed.

"Quit cutting me off and tell me what's changed."

"_I'm sorry, Drew,_" she apologized, though she hardly sounded sincere. "_It's a mess right now, and we're trying to sort things out ourselves. We'll let you know more later._"

"That doesn't-" He stopped short when he realized Leaf had hung up on him, and he groaned before falling back on the sofa beside May.

.

.

.


End file.
